diff --git a/common/log.c b/common/log.c
index adba0021..6d958db2 100644
--- a/common/log.c
+++ b/common/log.c
@@ -58,7 +58,7 @@ void sway_abort(const char *format, ...) {
 	vfprintf(stderr, format, args);
 	va_end(args);
 	fprintf(stderr, "\n");
-	sway_terminate();
+	sway_terminate(EXIT_FAILURE);
 }
 
 #ifndef NDEBUG
diff --git a/include/sway.h b/include/sway.h
index 6499c81d..b5cfb668 100644
--- a/include/sway.h
+++ b/include/sway.h
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 #ifndef _SWAY_SWAY_H
 #define _SWAY_SWAY_H
 
-void sway_terminate(void);
+void sway_terminate(int exit_code);
 
 #endif
diff --git a/sway/commands.c b/sway/commands.c
index 055473d5..c4b7f6ab 100644
--- a/sway/commands.c
+++ b/sway/commands.c
@@ -450,7 +450,7 @@ static struct cmd_results *cmd_exit(int argc, char **argv) {
 	}
 	// Close all views
 	close_views(&root_container);
-	sway_terminate();
+	sway_terminate(EXIT_SUCCESS);
 	return cmd_results_new(CMD_SUCCESS, NULL, NULL);
 }
 
diff --git a/sway/main.c b/sway/main.c
index 6adbf89d..7ea392b6 100644
--- a/sway/main.c
+++ b/sway/main.c
@@ -21,16 +21,17 @@
 #include "sway.h"
 
 static bool terminate_request = false;
+static int exit_value = 0;
 
-void sway_terminate(void) {
+void sway_terminate(int exit_code) {
 	terminate_request = true;
+	exit_value = exit_code;
 	wlc_terminate();
-	exit(EXIT_FAILURE);
 }
 
 void sig_handler(int signal) {
 	close_views(&root_container);
-	sway_terminate();
+	sway_terminate(EXIT_SUCCESS);
 }
 
 static void wlc_log_handler(enum wlc_log_type type, const char *str) {
@@ -150,16 +151,19 @@ int main(int argc, char **argv) {
 
 	if (optind < argc) { // Behave as IPC client
 		if(optind != 1) {
-			sway_abort("Don't use options with the IPC client");
+			sway_log(L_ERROR, "Don't use options with the IPC client");
+			exit(EXIT_FAILURE);
 		}
 		if (getuid() != geteuid() || getgid() != getegid()) {
 			if (setgid(getgid()) != 0 || setuid(getuid()) != 0) {
-				sway_abort("Unable to drop root");
+				sway_log(L_ERROR, "Unable to drop root");
+				exit(EXIT_FAILURE);
 			}
 		}
 		char *socket_path = getenv("SWAYSOCK");
 		if (!socket_path) {
-			sway_abort("Unable to retrieve socket path");
+			sway_log(L_ERROR, "Unable to retrieve socket path");
+			exit(EXIT_FAILURE);
 		}
 		char *command = join_args(argv + optind, argc - optind);
 		run_as_ipc_client(command, socket_path);
@@ -224,6 +228,6 @@ int main(int argc, char **argv) {
 
 	ipc_terminate();
 
-	return 0;
+	return exit_value;
 }
 
diff --git a/swaybar/main.c b/swaybar/main.c
index 737ee647..c6bbc7a5 100644
--- a/swaybar/main.c
+++ b/swaybar/main.c
@@ -10,9 +10,9 @@
 /* global bar state */
 struct bar swaybar;
 
-void sway_terminate(void) {
+void sway_terminate(int exit_code) {
 	bar_teardown(&swaybar);
-	exit(EXIT_FAILURE);
+	exit(exit_code);
 }
 
 void sig_handler(int signal) {
diff --git a/swaybg/main.c b/swaybg/main.c
index b936be2b..fbd0d16b 100644
--- a/swaybg/main.c
+++ b/swaybg/main.c
@@ -21,7 +21,7 @@ enum scaling_mode {
 	SCALING_MODE_TILE,
 };
 
-void sway_terminate(void) {
+void sway_terminate(int exit_code) {
 	int i;
 	for (i = 0; i < surfaces->length; ++i) {
 		struct window *window = surfaces->items[i];
@@ -29,7 +29,7 @@ void sway_terminate(void) {
 	}
 	list_free(surfaces);
 	registry_teardown(registry);
-	exit(EXIT_FAILURE);
+	exit(exit_code);
 }
 
 int main(int argc, const char **argv) {
diff --git a/swaygrab/main.c b/swaygrab/main.c
index 82d623e7..6ba8fb3e 100644
--- a/swaygrab/main.c
+++ b/swaygrab/main.c
@@ -11,8 +11,8 @@
 #include "ipc-client.h"
 #include "util.h"
 
-void sway_terminate(void) {
-	exit(EXIT_FAILURE);
+void sway_terminate(int exit_code) {
+	exit(exit_code);
 }
 
 void grab_and_apply_magick(const char *file, const char *output,
diff --git a/swaylock/main.c b/swaylock/main.c
index 9b14086d..b20883af 100644
--- a/swaylock/main.c
+++ b/swaylock/main.c
@@ -24,7 +24,7 @@ enum scaling_mode {
 	SCALING_MODE_TILE,
 };
 
-void sway_terminate(void) {
+void sway_terminate(int exit_code) {
 	int i;
 	for (i = 0; i < surfaces->length; ++i) {
 		struct window *window = surfaces->items[i];
@@ -32,7 +32,7 @@ void sway_terminate(void) {
 	}
 	list_free(surfaces);
 	registry_teardown(registry);
-	exit(EXIT_FAILURE);
+	exit(exit_code);
 }
 
 char *password;
diff --git a/swaymsg/main.c b/swaymsg/main.c
index 22572b6f..88a8fab0 100644
--- a/swaymsg/main.c
+++ b/swaymsg/main.c
@@ -11,8 +11,8 @@
 #include "readline.h"
 #include "log.h"
 
-void sway_terminate(void) {
-	exit(EXIT_FAILURE);
+void sway_terminate(int exit_code) {
+	exit(exit_code);
 }
 
 int main(int argc, char **argv) {