diff --git a/perl-xCAT/xCAT/NodeRange.pm b/perl-xCAT/xCAT/NodeRange.pm
index ea4cacc2c..46be7a395 100644
--- a/perl-xCAT/xCAT/NodeRange.pm
+++ b/perl-xCAT/xCAT/NodeRange.pm
@@ -296,7 +296,7 @@ sub expandatom {
                     if ($row->{groupname} eq $atom) {
                         my $rsp;
                         $rsp->{data}->[0] = "Could not create an object named \'$atom\' of type 'node'. A definition for a group object with the same name already exists.";
-                        xCAT::MsgUtils->message("W", $rsp, $::callback);
+                        xCAT::MsgUtils->message("E", $rsp, $::callback);
                         return ();
                     }
                 }
diff --git a/xCAT-test/autotest/testcase/mkdef/cases1 b/xCAT-test/autotest/testcase/mkdef/cases1
index 15e8a2efb..e0264c909 100644
--- a/xCAT-test/autotest/testcase/mkdef/cases1
+++ b/xCAT-test/autotest/testcase/mkdef/cases1
@@ -163,7 +163,7 @@ check:rc==1
 check:output=~A definition for a group object with the same name already exists.
 check:output=~No object names were provided
 cmd:mkdef -t node -o tempnode02468,tempgroup13579 groups=tempgroup13579
-check:rc==0
+check:rc==1
 check:output=~A definition for a group object with the same name already exists.
 check:output=~1 object definitions have been created
 cmd:rmdef -t node -o tempnode02468