diff --git a/fail2ban/client/fail2banclient.py b/fail2ban/client/fail2banclient.py
index f80193ee..73abacb2 100755
--- a/fail2ban/client/fail2banclient.py
+++ b/fail2ban/client/fail2banclient.py
@@ -69,7 +69,7 @@ class Fail2banClient(Fail2banCmdLine, Thread):
 		# Print a new line because we probably come from wait
 		output("")
 		logSys.warning("Caught signal %d. Exiting" % signum)
-		exit(-1)
+		exit(255)
 
 	def __ping(self, timeout=0.1):
 		return self.__processCmd([["ping"] + ([timeout] if timeout != -1 else [])],
@@ -500,5 +500,5 @@ def exec_command_line(argv):
 	if client.start(argv):
 		exit(0)
 	else:
-		exit(-1)
+		exit(255)
 
diff --git a/fail2ban/client/fail2banregex.py b/fail2ban/client/fail2banregex.py
index 68b7b7c3..29723dfb 100644
--- a/fail2ban/client/fail2banregex.py
+++ b/fail2ban/client/fail2banregex.py
@@ -668,7 +668,7 @@ def exec_command_line(*args):
 	if errors:
 		sys.stderr.write("\n".join(errors) + "\n\n")
 		parser.print_help()
-		sys.exit(-1)
+		sys.exit(255)
 
 	output( "" )
 	output( "Running tests" )
@@ -696,4 +696,4 @@ def exec_command_line(*args):
 
 	fail2banRegex = Fail2banRegex(opts)
 	if not fail2banRegex.start(args):
-		sys.exit(-1)
+		sys.exit(255)
diff --git a/fail2ban/client/fail2banserver.py b/fail2ban/client/fail2banserver.py
index afe36cf4..d94d13ff 100644
--- a/fail2ban/client/fail2banserver.py
+++ b/fail2ban/client/fail2banserver.py
@@ -212,7 +212,7 @@ class Fail2banServer(Fail2banCmdLine):
 				if not phase.get('done', False):
 					if server: # pragma: no cover
 						server.quit()
-					exit(-1)
+					exit(255)
 				if background:
 					logSys.debug('Starting server done')
 
@@ -223,7 +223,7 @@ class Fail2banServer(Fail2banCmdLine):
 				logSys.error(e)
 			if server: # pragma: no cover
 				server.quit()
-			exit(-1)
+			exit(255)
 
 		return True
 
@@ -238,4 +238,4 @@ def exec_command_line(argv):
 	if server.start(argv):
 		exit(0)
 	else:
-		exit(-1)
+		exit(255)
diff --git a/fail2ban/tests/fail2banclienttestcase.py b/fail2ban/tests/fail2banclienttestcase.py
index 68bdad80..a40da3c5 100644
--- a/fail2ban/tests/fail2banclienttestcase.py
+++ b/fail2ban/tests/fail2banclienttestcase.py
@@ -581,7 +581,7 @@ class Fail2banClientTest(Fail2banClientServerBase):
 			# test reload missing jail (direct):
 			self.execCmd(FAILED, startparams, "reload", "~~unknown~jail~fail~~")
 			self.assertLogged("Failed during configuration: No section: '~~unknown~jail~fail~~'")
-			self.assertLogged("Exit with code -1")
+			self.assertLogged("Exit with code 255")
 			self.pruneLog()
 		finally:
 			self.pruneLog()