diff --git a/bin/cdist b/bin/cdist
index 5456b134..edd610a5 100755
--- a/bin/cdist
+++ b/bin/cdist
@@ -91,13 +91,13 @@ def commandline():
         logging.root.setLevel(logging.DEBUG)
 
     log.debug(args)
-    args.func(args)
+    return args.func(args)
 
 def config(args):
-    configinstall(args, mode=cdist.config.Config)
+    return configinstall(args, mode=cdist.config.Config)
 
 def install(args):
-    configinstall(args, mode=cdist.install.Install)
+    return configinstall(args, mode=cdist.install.Install)
 
 def configinstall(args, mode):
     """Configure or install remote system"""
@@ -140,6 +140,7 @@ def configinstall(args, mode):
         if len(failed_hosts) > 0:
             log.warn("Failed to deploy to the following hosts: " + 
                 " ".join(failed_hosts))
+            exit_code = 1
 
         time_end = time.time()
         log.info("Total processing time for %s host(s): %s", len(args.host),
@@ -203,6 +204,8 @@ if __name__ == "__main__":
     # Sys is needed for sys.exit()
     import sys
 
+    exit_code = 0
+
     try:
         import logging
         import os
@@ -226,11 +229,15 @@ if __name__ == "__main__":
         logging.basicConfig(format='%(levelname)s: %(message)s')
 
         if re.match("__", os.path.basename(sys.argv[0])):
-            emulator()
+            run = emulator()
         else:
-            commandline()
-
-        sys.exit(0)
+            run = commandline()
 
     except KeyboardInterrupt:
-        sys.exit(0)
+        pass
+
+    # Determine exit code by return value of function
+    if not run:
+        exit_code = 1
+
+    sys.exit(exit_code)