diff --git a/src/bitcoin-cli.cpp b/src/bitcoin-cli.cpp
index 04b75e7f1..51a746f84 100644
--- a/src/bitcoin-cli.cpp
+++ b/src/bitcoin-cli.cpp
@@ -6,6 +6,7 @@
 #include "util.h"
 #include "init.h"
 #include "rpcclient.h"
+#include "rpcprotocol.h"
 #include "ui_interface.h" /* for _(...) */
 #include "chainparams.h"
 
@@ -55,23 +56,25 @@ int main(int argc, char* argv[])
     try
     {
         if(!AppInitRPC(argc, argv))
-            return 1;
+            return abs(RPC_MISC_ERROR);
     }
     catch (std::exception& e) {
         PrintExceptionContinue(&e, "AppInitRPC()");
+        return abs(RPC_MISC_ERROR);
     } catch (...) {
         PrintExceptionContinue(NULL, "AppInitRPC()");
+        return abs(RPC_MISC_ERROR);
     }
 
+    int ret = abs(RPC_MISC_ERROR);
     try
     {
-        if(!CommandLineRPC(argc, argv))
-            return 1;
+        ret = CommandLineRPC(argc, argv);
     }
     catch (std::exception& e) {
         PrintExceptionContinue(&e, "CommandLineRPC()");
     } catch (...) {
         PrintExceptionContinue(NULL, "CommandLineRPC()");
     }
-    return 0;
+    return ret;
 }
diff --git a/src/rpcclient.cpp b/src/rpcclient.cpp
index c404ac274..0d1746b8c 100644
--- a/src/rpcclient.cpp
+++ b/src/rpcclient.cpp
@@ -233,7 +233,7 @@ int CommandLineRPC(int argc, char *argv[])
     }
     catch (std::exception& e) {
         strPrint = string("error: ") + e.what();
-        nRet = 87;
+        nRet = abs(RPC_MISC_ERROR);
     }
     catch (...) {
         PrintException(NULL, "CommandLineRPC()");