diff --git a/src/frontend/variable.c b/src/frontend/variable.c
index 5503e0128..e12b8968f 100644
--- a/src/frontend/variable.c
+++ b/src/frontend/variable.c
@@ -301,7 +301,10 @@ cp_setparse(wordlist *wl)
             if (wl == NULL) {
                 fprintf(cp_err, "Error: bad set form.\n");
                 tfree(name);    /*DG: cp_unquote Memory leak*/
-                return (NULL);
+                if (ft_stricterror)
+                    controlled_exit(EXIT_BAD);
+                else
+                    return (NULL);
             }
             val = wl->wl_word;
             wl = wl->wl_next;
@@ -315,7 +318,10 @@ cp_setparse(wordlist *wl)
                 if (!wl) {
                     fprintf(cp_err, "Error:  %s equals what?.\n", name);
                     tfree(name); /*DG: cp_unquote Memory leak: free name before exiting*/
-                    return (NULL);
+                    if (ft_stricterror)
+                        controlled_exit(EXIT_BAD);
+                    else
+                        return (NULL);
                 } else {
                     val = wl->wl_word;
                     wl = wl->wl_next;
@@ -324,7 +330,10 @@ cp_setparse(wordlist *wl)
         } else {
             fprintf(cp_err, "Error: bad set form.\n");
             tfree(name); /*DG: cp_unquote Memory leak: free name befor exiting */
-            return (NULL);
+            if (ft_stricterror)
+                controlled_exit(EXIT_BAD);
+            else
+                return (NULL);
         }
 
         /*   val = cp_unquote(val);  DG: bad   old val is lost*/
@@ -367,7 +376,10 @@ cp_setparse(wordlist *wl)
             if (balance && !wl) {
                 fprintf(cp_err, "Error: bad set form.\n");
                 tfree(name); /* va: cp_unquote memory leak: free name before exiting */
-                return (NULL);
+                if (ft_stricterror)
+                    controlled_exit(EXIT_BAD);
+                else
+                    return (NULL);
             }
 
             vv = alloc(struct variable);