diff --git a/go.mod b/go.mod
index 7590bf03..1cb6e9f4 100644
--- a/go.mod
+++ b/go.mod
@@ -38,7 +38,7 @@ require (
 	github.com/spf13/cast v1.1.0 // indirect
 	github.com/spf13/cobra v0.0.0-20170629105234-8c6fa02d2225
 	github.com/spf13/jwalterweatherman v0.0.0-20170523133247-0efa5202c046 // indirect
-	github.com/spf13/pflag v1.0.0 // indirect
+	github.com/spf13/pflag v1.0.0
 	github.com/spf13/viper v0.0.0-20170619124313-c1de95864d73
 	github.com/src-d/gcfg v1.3.0 // indirect
 	github.com/stevvooe/resumable v0.0.0-20180830230917-22b14a53ba50 // indirect
diff --git a/pkg/policy/conventionalcommit/conventionalcommit.go b/pkg/policy/conventionalcommit/conventionalcommit.go
index 675b9c6f..073d6fa7 100644
--- a/pkg/policy/conventionalcommit/conventionalcommit.go
+++ b/pkg/policy/conventionalcommit/conventionalcommit.go
@@ -6,7 +6,6 @@ import (
 	"regexp"
 	"strings"
 
-	log "github.com/Sirupsen/logrus"
 	"github.com/autonomy/conform/pkg/metadata"
 	"github.com/autonomy/conform/pkg/pipeline"
 	"github.com/autonomy/conform/pkg/policy"
@@ -47,7 +46,8 @@ func (c *Conventional) Compliance(metadata *metadata.Metadata, options ...policy
 	if commitMsgFile != "" {
 		contents, err := ioutil.ReadFile(commitMsgFile)
 		if err != nil {
-			log.Fatal(err)
+			report.Errors = append(report.Errors, fmt.Errorf("failed to read commit message file: %v", err))
+			return
 		}
 		msg = string(contents)
 	}