diff --git a/include/xtables.h.in b/include/xtables.h.in
index 1d33394..3a16651 100644
--- a/include/xtables.h.in
+++ b/include/xtables.h.in
@@ -33,14 +33,6 @@
 
 struct in_addr;
 
-struct xtables_globals
-{
-	unsigned int option_offset;
-	char *program_version;
-	char *program_name;
-	struct option *opts;
-};
-
 /* Include file for additions: new matches and targets. */
 struct xtables_match
 {
@@ -191,6 +183,15 @@
 	XTF_ONE_ACTION,
 };
 
+struct xtables_globals
+{
+	unsigned int option_offset;
+	char *program_version;
+	char *program_name;
+	struct option *opts;
+	void (*exit_error)(enum xtables_exittype status, const char *msg, ...);
+};
+
 extern const char *xtables_program_name;
 extern const char *xtables_modprobe_program;
 extern struct xtables_match *xtables_matches;
diff --git a/xtables.c b/xtables.c
index 95be5f8..d0fc478 100644
--- a/xtables.c
+++ b/xtables.c
@@ -46,7 +46,20 @@
 #define PROC_SYS_MODPROBE "/proc/sys/kernel/modprobe"
 #endif
 
-struct xtables_globals *xt_params;
+struct xtables_globals *xt_params = NULL;
+
+void basic_exit_error(enum xtables_exittype status, const char *msg, ...)
+{
+	va_list args;
+
+	va_start(args, msg);
+	fprintf(stderr, "%s v%s: ", xt_params->program_name, xt_params->program_version);
+	vfprintf(stderr, msg, args);
+	va_end(args);
+	fprintf(stderr, "\n");
+	exit(status);
+}
+
 /**
  * xtables_set_params - set the global parameters used by xtables
  * @xtp:	input xtables_globals structure
@@ -65,6 +78,10 @@
 	}
 
 	xt_params = xtp;
+
+	if (!xt_params->exit_error)
+		xt_params->exit_error = basic_exit_error;
+
 	return 0;
 }