diff --git a/linux-user/main.c b/linux-user/main.c
index 58d8d8dff58798887ef51d346353c3ae9f330415..31aa4d98e43952a26c2ae1878e9126452905e5bd 100644
--- a/linux-user/main.c
+++ b/linux-user/main.c
@@ -4029,7 +4029,9 @@ static int parse_args(int argc, char **argv)
             if (!strcmp(r, arginfo->argv)) {
                 if (arginfo->has_arg) {
                     if (optind >= argc) {
-                        usage(1);
+                        (void) fprintf(stderr,
+                            "qemu: missing argument for option '%s'\n", r);
+                        exit(1);
                     }
                     arginfo->handle_opt(argv[optind]);
                     optind++;
@@ -4042,12 +4044,14 @@ static int parse_args(int argc, char **argv)
 
         /* no option matched the current argv */
         if (arginfo->handle_opt == NULL) {
-            usage(1);
+            (void) fprintf(stderr, "qemu: unknown option '%s'\n", r);
+            exit(1);
         }
     }
 
     if (optind >= argc) {
-        usage(1);
+        (void) fprintf(stderr, "qemu: no user program specified\n");
+        exit(1);
     }
 
     filename = argv[optind];