diff --git a/gdb/ChangeLog b/gdb/ChangeLog
index 6a4d26939bb2f759ac36acc5588630f063381966..ca7960111fa875eebf729415052da855578de71b 100644
--- a/gdb/ChangeLog
+++ b/gdb/ChangeLog
@@ -1,3 +1,7 @@
+2020-01-01  Joel Brobecker  <brobecker@adacore.com>
+
+	* copyright.py (main): Exit if run from the wrong directory.
+
 2020-01-01  Joel Brobecker  <brobecker@adacore.com>
 
 	* top.c (print_gdb_version): Change copyright year to 2020.
diff --git a/gdb/copyright.py b/gdb/copyright.py
index 84ead523eeaa8ce754462c019e75c7e682d29790..7771d9d7f64099d335ba5d9245afb6ff11fdf25f 100644
--- a/gdb/copyright.py
+++ b/gdb/copyright.py
@@ -34,6 +34,7 @@ import datetime
 import os
 import os.path
 import subprocess
+import sys
 
 
 def get_update_list():
@@ -143,6 +144,8 @@ def main ():
     """The main subprogram."""
     if not os.path.isfile("gnulib/import/extra/update-copyright"):
         print "Error: This script must be called from the gdb directory."
+        sys.exit(1)
+
     root_dir = os.path.dirname(os.getcwd())
     os.chdir(root_dir)