diff --git a/src/frontend/inpcom.c b/src/frontend/inpcom.c
index b98ea8163..ed32283e8 100644
--- a/src/frontend/inpcom.c
+++ b/src/frontend/inpcom.c
@@ -10277,10 +10277,9 @@ void inp_rem_unused_models(struct nscope *root, struct card *deck)
             modl_new = TMALLOC(struct modellist, 1);
             char *model_type = get_model_type(curr_line);
             if (!model_type) {
-                fprintf(stderr, "Warning: no model type given in line %s, ignored!\n", curr_line);
+                fprintf(stderr, "Error: no model type given in line %s!\n", curr_line);
                 tfree(modl_new);
-                *curr_line = '*';
-                continue;
+                controlled_exit(EXIT_BAD);
             }
             modl_new->elemb = inp_get_elem_ident(model_type);
             modl_new->modelname = get_subckt_model_name(curr_line);