diff --git a/cmd/tendermint/commands/debug/kill.go b/cmd/tendermint/commands/debug/kill.go
index 9a9b0666e..2e0b442f6 100644
--- a/cmd/tendermint/commands/debug/kill.go
+++ b/cmd/tendermint/commands/debug/kill.go
@@ -124,8 +124,7 @@ func killProc(pid uint64, dir string) error {
 		p, err := os.FindProcess(os.Getpid())
 		if err != nil {
 			fmt.Fprintf(os.Stderr, "failed to find PID to kill Tendermint process: %s", err)
-		}
-		if err = p.Signal(syscall.SIGABRT); err != nil {
+		} else if err = p.Signal(syscall.SIGABRT); err != nil {
 			fmt.Fprintf(os.Stderr, "failed to kill Tendermint process: %s", err)
 		}