diff --git a/util.c b/util.c
index d80617a3..f43181f8 100644
--- a/util.c
+++ b/util.c
@@ -28,17 +28,6 @@
 
 #include "util.h"
 
-void
-die(const char *fmt, ...)
-{
-    va_list ap;
-
-    va_start(ap, fmt);
-    vfprintf(stderr, fmt, ap);
-    va_end(ap);
-    abort();
-}
-
 void
 eprint(const char *fmt, ...)
 {
diff --git a/xutil.c b/xutil.c
index 358a44a7..b92faaa3 100644
--- a/xutil.c
+++ b/xutil.c
@@ -129,7 +129,7 @@ initxcolor(int screen, const char *colstr)
                            &screenColor,
                            &exactColor);
     if(!ret)
-        die("awesome: error, cannot allocate color '%s'\n", colstr);
+        eprint("awesome: error, cannot allocate color '%s'\n", colstr);
     return screenColor;
 }