diff --git a/parser/parser_main.c b/parser/parser_main.c
index 1548fc27c..8e68f5b26 100644
--- a/parser/parser_main.c
+++ b/parser/parser_main.c
@@ -877,7 +877,6 @@ static void setup_flags(void)
 
 int main(int argc, char *argv[])
 {
-	autofree char *cachedir = NULL;
 	int retval, last_error;
 	int i;
 	int optind;
@@ -910,7 +909,17 @@ int main(int argc, char *argv[])
 
 	setup_flags();
 
-	cachedir = setup_cache(cacheloc);
+	if (!cacheloc && asprintf(&cacheloc, "%s/cache", basedir) == -1) {
+		PERROR(_("Memory allocation error."));
+		return 1;
+	}
+
+	retval = setup_cache(cacheloc);
+	if (retval) {
+		PERROR(_("Failed setting up policy cache (%s): %s\n"),
+		       cacheloc, strerror(errno));
+		return 1;
+	}
 
 	retval = last_error = 0;
 	for (i = optind; i <= argc; i++) {
@@ -938,7 +947,7 @@ int main(int argc, char *argv[])
 			struct dir_cb_data cb_data;
 
 			cb_data.dirname = profilename;
-			cb_data.cachedir = cachedir;
+			cb_data.cachedir = cacheloc;
 			cb = binary_input ? binary_dir_cb : profile_dir_cb;
 			if ((retval = dirat_for_each(NULL, profilename,
 						     &cb_data, cb))) {
@@ -948,7 +957,7 @@ int main(int argc, char *argv[])
 		} else if (binary_input) {
 			retval = process_binary(option, profilename);
 		} else {
-			retval = process_profile(option, profilename, cachedir);
+			retval = process_profile(option, profilename, cacheloc);
 		}
 
 		if (profilename) free(profilename);
diff --git a/parser/policy_cache.c b/parser/policy_cache.c
index b9aa795f8..e7c3c609e 100644
--- a/parser/policy_cache.c
+++ b/parser/policy_cache.c
@@ -228,27 +228,18 @@ void install_cache(const char *cachetmpname, const char *cachename)
 	}
 }
 
-char *setup_cache(const char *cacheloc)
+int setup_cache(const char *cacheloc)
 {
 	autofree char *cache_features_path = NULL;
 	autofree char *cache_flags = NULL;
-	char *cachedir;
 
-	if (cacheloc) {
-		cachedir = strdup(cacheloc);
-		if (!cachedir) {
-			PERROR(_("Memory allocation error."));
-			exit(1);
-		}
-	} else {
-		if (asprintf(&cachedir, "%s/cache", basedir) == -1) {
-			PERROR(_("Memory allocation error."));
-			exit(1);
-		}
+	if (!cacheloc) {
+		errno = EINVAL;
+		return -1;
 	}
 
 	if (force_clear_cache)
-		exit(clear_cache_files(cachedir));
+		exit(clear_cache_files(cacheloc));
 
 	/*
          * Deal with cache directory versioning:
@@ -256,16 +247,17 @@ char *setup_cache(const char *cacheloc)
          *  - If cache/.features exists, and does not match features_string,
          *    force cache reading/writing off.
          */
-	if (asprintf(&cache_features_path, "%s/.features", cachedir) == -1) {
+	if (asprintf(&cache_features_path, "%s/.features", cacheloc) == -1) {
 		PERROR(_("Memory allocation error."));
-		exit(1);
+		errno = ENOMEM;
+		return -1;
 	}
 
 	cache_flags = load_features_file(cache_features_path);
 	if (cache_flags) {
 		if (strcmp(features_string, cache_flags) != 0) {
 			if (write_cache && cond_clear_cache) {
-				if (create_cache(cachedir, cache_features_path,
+				if (create_cache(cacheloc, cache_features_path,
 						 features_string))
 					skip_read_cache = 1;
 			} else {
@@ -276,8 +268,8 @@ char *setup_cache(const char *cacheloc)
 			}
 		}
 	} else if (write_cache) {
-		create_cache(cachedir, cache_features_path, features_string);
+		create_cache(cacheloc, cache_features_path, features_string);
 	}
 
-	return cachedir;
+	return 0;
 }
diff --git a/parser/policy_cache.h b/parser/policy_cache.h
index 76d2f16d7..68d45a45d 100644
--- a/parser/policy_cache.h
+++ b/parser/policy_cache.h
@@ -46,6 +46,6 @@ void valid_read_cache(const char *cachename);
 int cache_hit(const char *cachename);
 int setup_cache_tmp(const char **cachetmpname, const char *cachename);
 void install_cache(const char *cachetmpname, const char *cachename);
-char *setup_cache(const char *cacheloc);
+int setup_cache(const char *cacheloc);
 
 #endif /* __AA_POLICY_CACHE_H */