diff --git a/crates/recursion/circuit-v2/src/machine/compress.rs b/crates/recursion/circuit-v2/src/machine/compress.rs
index 6e5abdd0ef..4d665ac606 100644
--- a/crates/recursion/circuit-v2/src/machine/compress.rs
+++ b/crates/recursion/circuit-v2/src/machine/compress.rs
@@ -523,6 +523,8 @@ where
         compress_public_values.is_complete = is_complete;
         // Set the contains an execution shard flag.
         compress_public_values.contains_execution_shard = contains_execution_shard;
+        // Set the exit code.
+        compress_public_values.exit_code = exit_code;
         // Set the digest according to the previous values.
         compress_public_values.digest = match kind {
             PublicValuesOutputDigest::Reduce => {
@@ -533,9 +535,6 @@ where
             }
         };
 
-        // Set the exit code.
-        compress_public_values.exit_code = exit_code;
-
         // If the proof is complete, make completeness assertions.
         assert_complete(builder, compress_public_values, is_complete);
 
diff --git a/crates/recursion/circuit-v2/src/machine/core.rs b/crates/recursion/circuit-v2/src/machine/core.rs
index 4dd813f2b8..b5714e15a1 100644
--- a/crates/recursion/circuit-v2/src/machine/core.rs
+++ b/crates/recursion/circuit-v2/src/machine/core.rs
@@ -475,6 +475,9 @@ where
                     }
                 }
 
+                // Update the exit code.
+                exit_code = public_values.exit_code;
+
                 // If `deferred_proofs_digest` is not zero, then the current value should be equal
                 // to `public_values.deferred_proofs_digest.
 
diff --git a/crates/recursion/core/src/air/public_values.rs b/crates/recursion/core/src/air/public_values.rs
index 57864d96a5..475a893718 100644
--- a/crates/recursion/core/src/air/public_values.rs
+++ b/crates/recursion/core/src/air/public_values.rs
@@ -142,12 +142,12 @@ pub struct RecursionPublicValues<T> {
     /// shard, i.e. a shard that contains the `cpu` chip.
     pub contains_execution_shard: T,
 
-    /// The digest of all the previous public values elements.
-    pub digest: [T; DIGEST_SIZE],
-
     /// The exit code of the program.  Note that this is not part of the public values digest,
     /// since it's value will be individually constrained.
     pub exit_code: T,
+
+    /// The digest of all the previous public values elements.
+    pub digest: [T; DIGEST_SIZE],
 }
 
 /// Converts the public values to an array of elements.