diff --git a/salt/client/ssh/ssh_py_shim.py b/salt/client/ssh/ssh_py_shim.py
index d3d3c8ea3f27..2d1356c04331 100644
--- a/salt/client/ssh/ssh_py_shim.py
+++ b/salt/client/ssh/ssh_py_shim.py
@@ -292,19 +292,23 @@ def main(argv):  # pylint: disable=W0613
     if OPTIONS.cmd_umask is not None:
         old_umask = os.umask(OPTIONS.cmd_umask)  # pylint: disable=blacklisted-function
     if OPTIONS.tty:
+        proc = subprocess.Popen(salt_argv, stdout=subprocess.PIPE, stderr=subprocess.PIPE)
         # Returns bytes instead of string on python 3
-        stdout, _ = subprocess.Popen(salt_argv, stdout=subprocess.PIPE, stderr=subprocess.PIPE).communicate()
+        stdout, _ = proc.communicate()
         sys.stdout.write(stdout.decode(encoding=get_system_encoding(), errors="replace"))
         sys.stdout.flush()
+        retcode = proc.returncode
         if OPTIONS.wipe:
             shutil.rmtree(OPTIONS.saltdir)
     elif OPTIONS.wipe:
-        subprocess.call(salt_argv)
+        retcode = subprocess.call(salt_argv)
         shutil.rmtree(OPTIONS.saltdir)
     else:
-        subprocess.call(salt_argv)
+        retcode = subprocess.call(salt_argv)
     if OPTIONS.cmd_umask is not None:
         os.umask(old_umask)  # pylint: disable=blacklisted-function
+    return retcode
+
 
 if __name__ == '__main__':
     sys.exit(main(sys.argv))