diff --git a/doc/src/sgml/ref/pgbench.sgml b/doc/src/sgml/ref/pgbench.sgml
index 0f432767c2..c71dab644c 100644
--- a/doc/src/sgml/ref/pgbench.sgml
+++ b/doc/src/sgml/ref/pgbench.sgml
@@ -904,10 +904,12 @@ pgbench <optional> <replaceable>options</replaceable> </optional> <replaceable>d
 
   <para>
    A successful run will exit with status 0.  Exit status 1 indicates static
-   problems such as invalid command-line options.  Errors during the run such
-   as database errors or problems in the script will result in exit status 2.
-   In the latter case, <application>pgbench</application> will print partial
-   results.
+   problems such as invalid command-line options or internal errors which
+   are supposed to never occur.  Early errors that occur when starting
+   benchmark such as initial connection failures also exit with status 1.
+   Errors during the run such as database errors or problems in the script
+   will result in exit status 2. In the latter case,
+   <application>pgbench</application> will print partial results.
   </para>
  </refsect1>
 
diff --git a/src/bin/pgbench/pgbench.c b/src/bin/pgbench/pgbench.c
index d17f69333f..f8331bbb60 100644
--- a/src/bin/pgbench/pgbench.c
+++ b/src/bin/pgbench/pgbench.c
@@ -3181,6 +3181,7 @@ advanceConnectionState(TState *thread, CState *st, StatsData *agg)
 
 					if ((st->con = doConnect()) == NULL)
 					{
+						/* as the bench is already running, we do not abort the process */
 						pg_log_error("client %d aborted while establishing connection", st->id);
 						st->state = CSTATE_ABORTED;
 						break;
@@ -4456,7 +4457,10 @@ runInitSteps(const char *initialize_steps)
 	initPQExpBuffer(&stats);
 
 	if ((con = doConnect()) == NULL)
+	{
+		pg_log_fatal("could not create connection for initialization");
 		exit(1);
+	}
 
 	setup_cancel_handler(NULL);
 	SetCancelConn(con);
@@ -6399,7 +6403,10 @@ main(int argc, char **argv)
 	/* opening connection... */
 	con = doConnect();
 	if (con == NULL)
+	{
+		pg_log_fatal("could not create connection for setup");
 		exit(1);
+	}
 
 	/* report pgbench and server versions */
 	printVersion(con);
@@ -6625,7 +6632,7 @@ threadRun(void *arg)
 		if (thread->logfile == NULL)
 		{
 			pg_log_fatal("could not open logfile \"%s\": %m", logpath);
-			goto done;
+			exit(1);
 		}
 	}
 
@@ -6650,16 +6657,10 @@ threadRun(void *arg)
 		{
 			if ((state[i].con = doConnect()) == NULL)
 			{
-				/*
-				 * On connection failure, we meet the barrier here in place of
-				 * GO before proceeding to the "done" path which will cleanup,
-				 * so as to avoid locking the process.
-				 *
-				 * It is unclear whether it is worth doing anything rather
-				 * than coldly exiting with an error message.
-				 */
-				THREAD_BARRIER_WAIT(&barrier);
-				goto done;
+				/* coldly abort on initial connection failure */
+				pg_log_fatal("could not create connection for client %d",
+							 state[i].id);
+				exit(1);
 			}
 		}
 	}