diff --git a/util-linux/nfsmount.c b/util-linux/nfsmount.c
index a62df32..90cf9fb 100644
--- a/util-linux/nfsmount.c
+++ b/util-linux/nfsmount.c
@@ -335,7 +335,7 @@
 #endif
 	{
 		if ((hp = gethostbyname(hostname)) == NULL) {
-			error_msg("can't get address for %s", hostname);
+			herror_msg("%s", hostname);
 			goto fail;
 		} else {
 			if (hp->h_length > sizeof(struct in_addr)) {
@@ -580,7 +580,7 @@
 	    mount_server_addr.sin_addr.s_addr = inet_addr(hostname);
 	  } else {
 		  if ((hp = gethostbyname(mounthost)) == NULL) {
-			  error_msg("can't get address for %s", hostname);
+			  herror_msg("%s", mounthost);
 			  goto fail;
 		  } else {
 			  if (hp->h_length > sizeof(struct in_addr)) {
diff --git a/util-linux/rdate.c b/util-linux/rdate.c
index ead1e7c..8deb35d 100644
--- a/util-linux/rdate.c
+++ b/util-linux/rdate.c
@@ -45,8 +45,7 @@
 	unsigned long int nett, localt;
 	int fd;
 
-	if (!(h = gethostbyname(host)))         /* get the IP addr */
-		perror_msg_and_die("%s", host);
+	h = xgethostbyname(host);         /* get the IP addr */
 
 	if ((tserv = getservbyname("time", "tcp")) == NULL)   /* find port # */
 		perror_msg_and_die("%s", "time");