2 files changed, 10 insertions, 2 deletions
diff --git a/lib/lib.h b/lib/lib.h
index e5d4a1d3..2d3e2734 100644
--- a/lib/lib.h
+++ b/lib/lib.h
@@ -113,6 +113,7 @@ void xmkpath(char *path, int mode);
 void xsetuid(uid_t uid);
 struct passwd *xgetpwuid(uid_t uid);
 struct group *xgetgrgid(gid_t gid);
+struct passwd *xgetpwnam(char *name);
 char *xreadlink(char *name);
 long xparsetime(char *arg, long units, long *fraction);
 void xpidfile(char *name);
diff --git a/lib/xwrap.c b/lib/xwrap.c
index 71ea9209..c0c8a44b 100644
--- a/lib/xwrap.c
+++ b/lib/xwrap.c
@@ -402,17 +402,24 @@ void xsetuid(uid_t uid)
 struct passwd *xgetpwuid(uid_t uid)
 {
   struct passwd *pwd = getpwuid(uid);
-  if (!pwd) error_exit(NULL);
+  if (!pwd) error_exit("bad uid %ld", (long)uid);
   return pwd;
 }
 
 struct group *xgetgrgid(gid_t gid)
 {
   struct group *group = getgrgid(gid);
-  if (!group) error_exit(NULL);
+  if (!group) error_exit("bad gid %ld", (long)gid);
   return group;
 }
 
+struct passwd *xgetpwnam(char *name)
+{
+  struct passwd *up = getpwnam(name);
+  if (!up) error_exit("bad user '%s'", name);
+  return up;
+}
+
 // This can return null (meaning file not found).  It just won't return null
 // for memory allocation reasons.
 char *xreadlink(char *name)