diff --git a/cli/src/main.rs b/cli/src/main.rs
index abb0418a764..ffe95be38e4 100644
--- a/cli/src/main.rs
+++ b/cli/src/main.rs
@@ -411,15 +411,22 @@ fn evaluate_expr(
                     let result = script.evaluate(context);
                     if let Err(err) = context.run_jobs() {
                         printer.print(uncaught_job_error(&err));
+                        return Err(eyre!("execution failed"));
                     }
                     result
                 };
                 match result {
                     Ok(v) => printer.print(format!("{}\n", v.display())),
-                    Err(ref v) => printer.print(uncaught_error(v)),
+                    Err(v) => {
+                        printer.print(uncaught_error(&v));
+                        return Err(eyre!("execution failed"));
+                    }
                 }
             }
-            Err(ref v) => printer.print(uncaught_error(v)),
+            Err(v) => {
+                printer.print(uncaught_error(&v));
+                return Err(eyre!("parsing failed"));
+            }
         }
     }
 
@@ -503,7 +510,10 @@ fn evaluate_file(
                 println!("{}", v.display());
             }
         }
-        Err(v) => printer.print(uncaught_error(&v)),
+        Err(v) => {
+            printer.print(uncaught_error(&v));
+            return Err(eyre!("execution failed"));
+        }
     }
 
     Ok(())
diff --git a/cli/tests/exit_code.rs b/cli/tests/exit_code.rs
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..f853f600e92
--- /dev/null
+++ b/cli/tests/exit_code.rs
@@ -0,0 +1,66 @@
+#![allow(missing_docs)]
+
+use std::fs;
+use std::io::Write;
+use std::process::{Command, Stdio};
+use std::time::{SystemTime, UNIX_EPOCH};
+
+fn boa_bin() -> &'static str {
+    env!("CARGO_BIN_EXE_boa")
+}
+
+#[test]
+fn stdin_uncaught_error_exits_non_zero() {
+    let mut child = Command::new(boa_bin())
+        .stdin(Stdio::piped())
+        .stdout(Stdio::null())
+        .stderr(Stdio::null())
+        .spawn()
+        .expect("boa binary should build");
+
+    child
+        .stdin
+        .as_mut()
+        .expect("stdin should be piped")
+        .write_all(b"throw Error('nooo')")
+        .expect("stdin write should succeed");
+
+    let status = child.wait().expect("boa should exit");
+    assert!(!status.success(), "expected non-zero exit for uncaught stdin error");
+}
+
+#[test]
+fn expression_uncaught_error_exits_non_zero() {
+    let status = Command::new(boa_bin())
+        .args(["-e", "throw Error('nooo')"])
+        .stdout(Stdio::null())
+        .stderr(Stdio::null())
+        .status()
+        .expect("boa should run");
+
+    assert!(!status.success(), "expected non-zero exit for uncaught -e error");
+}
+
+#[test]
+fn file_uncaught_error_exits_non_zero() {
+    let unique = SystemTime::now()
+        .duration_since(UNIX_EPOCH)
+        .expect("time should be monotonic")
+        .as_nanos();
+    let script_path = std::env::temp_dir().join(format!("boa-exit-code-{unique}.js"));
+    fs::write(&script_path, "throw Error('nooo')\n").expect("temp script should be writable");
+
+    let status = Command::new(boa_bin())
+        .arg(&script_path)
+        .stdout(Stdio::null())
+        .stderr(Stdio::null())
+        .status()
+        .expect("boa should run");
+
+    let _ = fs::remove_file(&script_path);
+
+    assert!(
+        !status.success(),
+        "expected non-zero exit for uncaught file execution error"
+    );
+}