diff --git a/cli/setup.go b/cli/setup.go
index 21b29a491..4a64f00fd 100644
--- a/cli/setup.go
+++ b/cli/setup.go
@@ -38,7 +38,7 @@ func PrepareBaseCmd(cmd *cobra.Command, envPrefix, defautRoot string) Executor {
 	cmd.PersistentFlags().String(HomeFlag, "", "root directory for config and data")
 	cmd.PersistentFlags().Bool(TraceFlag, false, "print out full stack trace on errors")
 	cmd.PersistentPreRunE = concatCobraCmdFuncs(bindFlagsLoadViper, cmd.PersistentPreRunE)
-	return Executor{cmd}
+	return Executor{cmd, os.Exit}
 }
 
 // PrepareMainCmd is meant for client side libs that want some more flags
@@ -82,6 +82,11 @@ func copyEnvVars(prefix string) {
 // Executor wraps the cobra Command with a nicer Execute method
 type Executor struct {
 	*cobra.Command
+	Exit func(int) // this is os.Exit by default, override in tests
+}
+
+type ExitCoder interface {
+	ExitCode() int
 }
 
 // execute adds all child commands to the root command sets flags appropriately.
@@ -91,12 +96,19 @@ func (e Executor) Execute() error {
 	e.SilenceErrors = true
 	err := e.Command.Execute()
 	if err != nil {
-		// TODO: something cooler with log-levels
 		if viper.GetBool(TraceFlag) {
 			fmt.Printf("ERROR: %+v\n", err)
 		} else {
 			fmt.Println("ERROR:", err.Error())
 		}
+
+		fmt.Printf("%#v\n", e)
+		// return error code 1 by default, can override it with a special error type
+		exitCode := 1
+		if ec, ok := err.(ExitCoder); ok {
+			exitCode = ec.ExitCode()
+		}
+		e.Exit(exitCode)
 	}
 	return err
 }
diff --git a/cli/setup_test.go b/cli/setup_test.go
index 8fb4ce140..538797c9e 100644
--- a/cli/setup_test.go
+++ b/cli/setup_test.go
@@ -46,6 +46,7 @@ func TestSetupEnv(t *testing.T) {
 		}
 		demo.Flags().String("foobar", "", "Some test value from config")
 		cmd := PrepareBaseCmd(demo, "DEMO", "/qwerty/asdfgh") // some missing dir..
+		cmd.Exit = func(int) {}
 
 		viper.Reset()
 		args := append([]string{cmd.Use}, tc.args...)
@@ -98,6 +99,7 @@ func TestSetupConfig(t *testing.T) {
 		}
 		boo.Flags().String("boo", "", "Some test value from config")
 		cmd := PrepareBaseCmd(boo, "RD", "/qwerty/asdfgh") // some missing dir...
+		cmd.Exit = func(int) {}
 
 		viper.Reset()
 		args := append([]string{cmd.Use}, tc.args...)
@@ -175,6 +177,7 @@ func TestSetupUnmarshal(t *testing.T) {
 		// from the default config here
 		marsh.Flags().Int("age", base.Age, "Some test value from config")
 		cmd := PrepareBaseCmd(marsh, "MR", "/qwerty/asdfgh") // some missing dir...
+		cmd.Exit = func(int) {}
 
 		viper.Reset()
 		args := append([]string{cmd.Use}, tc.args...)
@@ -209,6 +212,7 @@ func TestSetupTrace(t *testing.T) {
 			},
 		}
 		cmd := PrepareBaseCmd(trace, "DBG", "/qwerty/asdfgh") // some missing dir..
+		cmd.Exit = func(int) {}
 
 		viper.Reset()
 		args := append([]string{cmd.Use}, tc.args...)