diff --git a/app-text/build-docbook-catalog/build-docbook-catalog-1.21.ebuild b/app-text/build-docbook-catalog/build-docbook-catalog-1.21.ebuild
index faaa5b36fd233..ea434173b02e5 100644
--- a/app-text/build-docbook-catalog/build-docbook-catalog-1.21.ebuild
+++ b/app-text/build-docbook-catalog/build-docbook-catalog-1.21.ebuild
@@ -34,5 +34,6 @@ src_configure() {
 
 pkg_postinst() {
 	# New version -> regen files
-	build-docbook-catalog
+	# See bug #816303 for rationale behind die
+	build-docbook-catalog || die "Failed to regenerate docbook catalog. Is /run mounted?"
 }
diff --git a/app-text/build-docbook-catalog/build-docbook-catalog-2.0.ebuild b/app-text/build-docbook-catalog/build-docbook-catalog-2.0.ebuild
index 48f66b4d572f4..d3143b3652b1d 100644
--- a/app-text/build-docbook-catalog/build-docbook-catalog-2.0.ebuild
+++ b/app-text/build-docbook-catalog/build-docbook-catalog-2.0.ebuild
@@ -32,5 +32,6 @@ src_configure() {
 
 pkg_postinst() {
 	# New version -> regen files
-	build-docbook-catalog
+	# See bug #816303 for rationale behind die
+	build-docbook-catalog || die "Failed to regenerate docbook catalog. Is /run mounted?"
 }