diff --git a/util-linux/rdate.c b/util-linux/rdate.c
index 87edecb..03f7f2d 100644
--- a/util-linux/rdate.c
+++ b/util-linux/rdate.c
@@ -47,15 +47,15 @@
 	int fd;
 
 	if (!(h = gethostbyname(host))) {	/* get the IP addr */
-		error_msg("%s: %s\n", host, strerror(errno));
+		perror_msg("%s", host);
 		return(-1);
 	}
 	if ((tserv = getservbyname("time", "tcp")) == NULL) { /* find port # */
-		error_msg("%s: %s\n", "time", strerror(errno));
+		perror_msg("%s", "time");
 		return(-1);
 	}
 	if ((fd = socket(AF_INET, SOCK_STREAM, 0)) < 0) {  /* get net connection */
-		error_msg("%s: %s\n", "socket", strerror(errno));
+		perror_msg("%s", "socket");
 		return(-1);
 	}
 
@@ -64,7 +64,7 @@
 	sin.sin_family = AF_INET;
 
 	if (connect(fd, (struct sockaddr *)&sin, sizeof(sin)) < 0) {	/* connect to time server */
-		error_msg("%s: %s\n", host, strerror(errno));
+		perror_msg("%s", host);
 		close(fd);
 		return(-1);
 	}
@@ -123,7 +123,7 @@
 	}
 	if (setdate) {
 		if (stime(&time) < 0)
-			error_msg_and_die("Could not set time of day: %s\n", strerror(errno));
+			perror_msg_and_die("Could not set time of day");
 	}
 	if (printdate) {
 		fprintf(stdout, "%s", ctime(&time));