diff --git a/Changes.md b/Changes.md
index 75a360d..4f4d12a 100644
--- a/Changes.md
+++ b/Changes.md
@@ -19,6 +19,9 @@
   will continue to work. I do not intend to ever deprecate the underscore version. They simply will
   not be used in the docs and examples.
 
+- Fixed cases where `precious` would exit with an exit code of `1` on errors that were _not_ linting
+  failures. Going forward, an exit code of `1` should only be used for linting failures.
+
 - `precious` will now emit a warning if your config file uses any of the deprecated config keys,
   `run_mode` and `chdir`. Support for these options will be removed entirely in a future release.
 
diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index 4008f51..4d00109 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -451,7 +451,7 @@ When running in `--lint` mode, precious will exit with `0` when all files pass l
 commands fail it will exit with `1`.
 
 In both modes, if any commands fail, either by returning exit codes that aren't listed as ok or by
-printing to stderr unexpectedly, then precious will exit with a non-`0` exit code.
+printing to stderr unexpectedly, then the exit code will not be `0` or `1`.
 
 ## Common Scenarios
 
diff --git a/precious-core/src/command.rs b/precious-core/src/command.rs
index 41d71f2..76fd3b1 100644
--- a/precious-core/src/command.rs
+++ b/precious-core/src/command.rs
@@ -144,7 +144,7 @@ impl fmt::Display for PathArgs {
 #[derive(Debug, Error, PartialEq, Eq)]
 enum CommandError {
     #[error(
-        "You cannot create a Command which lints and tidies without lint-flags and/or tidy-flags"
+        "You cannot define a command which lints and tidies without lint-flags and/or tidy-flags"
     )]
     CommandWhichIsBothRequiresLintOrTidyFlags,
 
diff --git a/precious-core/src/precious.rs b/precious-core/src/precious.rs
index be6af87..24ca7af 100644
--- a/precious-core/src/precious.rs
+++ b/precious-core/src/precious.rs
@@ -607,7 +607,7 @@ impl LintOrTidyRunner {
             }
             Err(e) => {
                 error!("Failed to run precious: {}", e);
-                1
+                42
             }
         }
     }
diff --git a/precious-integration/src/lint_tidy.rs b/precious-integration/src/lint_tidy.rs
index dae6dda..85d0668 100644
--- a/precious-integration/src/lint_tidy.rs
+++ b/precious-integration/src/lint_tidy.rs
@@ -300,6 +300,91 @@ fn foo() -> u8   {
     Ok(())
 }
 
+#[test]
+#[serial]
+fn exit_codes() -> Result<()> {
+    let helper = set_up_for_tests()?;
+
+    let all_codes = Vec::from_iter(0..=255);
+    let match_all_re = Regex::new(".*")?;
+
+    let precious = precious_path()?;
+    let env = HashMap::new();
+    let out = exec::run(
+        &precious,
+        &["lint", "--all"],
+        &env,
+        &all_codes,
+        Some(&[match_all_re.clone()]),
+        Some(&helper.precious_root()),
+    )?;
+    assert_eq!(out.exit_code, 0);
+
+    helper.write_file("src/good.rs", "this is not valid rust")?;
+
+    let out = exec::run(
+        &precious,
+        &["lint", "--all"],
+        &env,
+        &all_codes,
+        Some(&[match_all_re.clone()]),
+        Some(&helper.precious_root()),
+    )?;
+    assert_eq!(out.exit_code, 1);
+
+    let out = exec::run(
+        &precious,
+        &["foo", "--all"],
+        &env,
+        &all_codes,
+        Some(&[match_all_re.clone()]),
+        Some(&helper.precious_root()),
+    )?;
+    assert_eq!(out.exit_code, 2);
+
+    let out = exec::run(
+        &precious,
+        &["lint", "--foo"],
+        &env,
+        &all_codes,
+        Some(&[match_all_re.clone()]),
+        Some(&helper.precious_root()),
+    )?;
+    assert_eq!(out.exit_code, 2);
+
+    helper.write_file("precious.toml", "this is not valid config")?;
+    let out = exec::run(
+        &precious,
+        &["lint", "--all"],
+        &env,
+        &all_codes,
+        Some(&[match_all_re.clone()]),
+        Some(&helper.precious_root()),
+    )?;
+    assert_eq!(out.exit_code, 42);
+
+    let config_missing_key = r#"
+[commands.rustfmt]
+type    = "both"
+include = "**/*.rs"
+cmd     = [ "rustfmt", "--edition", "2021" ]
+ok-exit-codes = 0
+lint-failure-exit-codes = 1
+"#;
+    helper.write_file("precious.toml", config_missing_key)?;
+    let out = exec::run(
+        &precious,
+        &["lint", "--all"],
+        &env,
+        &all_codes,
+        Some(&[match_all_re.clone()]),
+        Some(&helper.precious_root()),
+    )?;
+    assert_eq!(out.exit_code, 42);
+
+    Ok(())
+}
+
 #[test]
 #[serial]
 fn all_invocation_options() -> Result<()> {
diff --git a/precious/src/main.rs b/precious/src/main.rs
index f4f531f..c8027af 100644
--- a/precious/src/main.rs
+++ b/precious/src/main.rs
@@ -7,13 +7,13 @@ fn main() {
     let app = precious::app();
     if let Err(e) = app.init_logger() {
         eprintln!("Error creating logger: {e}");
-        std::process::exit(1);
+        std::process::exit(42);
     }
     let status = match app.run() {
         Ok(s) => s,
         Err(e) => {
             error!("{e}");
-            1
+            42
         }
     };
     std::process::exit(status as i32);