diff --git a/src/aevol_create.cpp b/src/aevol_create.cpp
index f6de8d241ee68e3fbaa73922d418ab5d3b5f6caf..d12c908b966e804d259edea52c85161973f5cfba 100644
--- a/src/aevol_create.cpp
+++ b/src/aevol_create.cpp
@@ -80,15 +80,11 @@ int main(int argc, char* argv[]) {
     char raw_chromosome[max_input_chrom_size];
     FILE* chromosome_file = fopen(chromosome_file_name, "r");
     if (chromosome_file == nullptr) {
-      printf("ERROR: failed to open source chromosome file %s\n",
-             chromosome_file_name);
-      exit(EXIT_FAILURE);
+      Utils::ExitWithUsrMsg(std::string("failed to open source chromosome file ") + chromosome_file_name);
     }
     if (fgets(raw_chromosome, max_input_chrom_size, chromosome_file) == nullptr)
     {
-      printf("ERROR: failed to read from chromosome file %s\n",
-             chromosome_file_name);
-      exit(EXIT_FAILURE);
+      Utils::ExitWithUsrMsg(std::string("failed to read from chromosome file ") + chromosome_file_name);
     }
     lchromosome = strlen(raw_chromosome) - 1;
     chromosome = new char[lchromosome + 1];