diff --git a/builtin/cat-file.c b/builtin/cat-file.c
index 4a5289079c59e8166d580413e70f24241a123e74..0f6b692df6bfc5704fd853e7d5ee6222a352d71e 100644
--- a/builtin/cat-file.c
+++ b/builtin/cat-file.c
@@ -596,7 +596,7 @@ static int batch_option_callback(const struct option *opt,
 	struct batch_options *bo = opt->value;
 
 	if (bo->enabled) {
-		return 1;
+		return error(_("only one batch option may be specified"));
 	}
 
 	bo->enabled = 1;