diff --git a/usr.bin/ncftp/cmds.c b/usr.bin/ncftp/cmds.c
index 0ff105509969..c467c3bff5d6 100644
--- a/usr.bin/ncftp/cmds.c
+++ b/usr.bin/ncftp/cmds.c
@@ -594,6 +594,7 @@ int mget(int argc, char **argv)
 	char *cp;
 	longstring local;
 	Sig_t oldintr;
+	int errs;
 
 	if (argc < 2)
 		argv = re_makeargv("(remote-files) ", &argc);
@@ -604,7 +605,7 @@ int mget(int argc, char **argv)
 	activemcmd = 1;
 	oldintr = Signal(SIGINT, mabort);
 	(void) setjmp(jabort);
-	while ((cp = remglob(argv)) != NULL) {
+	while ((cp = remglob(argv, &errs)) != NULL) {
 		if (*cp == '\0') {
 			activemcmd = 0;
 			continue;
@@ -621,19 +622,22 @@ int mget(int argc, char **argv)
 	}
 	(void) Signal(SIGINT,oldintr);
 	activemcmd = 0;
-	return NOERR;
+	if (!errs)
+		return NOERR;
+	else
+		return CMDERR;
 }	/* mget */
 
 
 
 
-char *remglob(char *argv[])
+char *remglob(char *argv[], int *errs)
 {
 	static FILE			*ftemp = NULL;
 	int					oldverbose, i;
 	char				*cp, *mode;
 	static string		tmpname, str;
-	int					result, errs;
+	int					result;
 
 	if (!activemcmd) {
 xx:
@@ -647,7 +651,7 @@ xx:
 	if (ftemp == NULL) {
 		(void) tmp_name(tmpname);
 		oldverbose = verbose, verbose = V_QUIET;
-		errs = 0;
+		*errs = 0;
 		for (mode = "w", i=1; argv[i] != NULL; i++, mode = "a") {
 			result = recvrequest ("NLST", tmpname, argv[i], mode);
 			if (i == 1)
@@ -658,11 +662,11 @@ xx:
 					(strpbrk(argv[i], globchars) != NULL) ? "No match" :
 						"No such file"
 				);
-				errs++;
+				++(*errs);
 			}
 		}
               verbose = oldverbose;
-		if (errs == (i - 1)) {
+		if (*errs == (i - 1)) {
 			/* Every pattern was in error, so we can't try anything. */
 			(void) unlink(tmpname);		/* Shouldn't be there anyway. */
 			return NULL;
@@ -876,6 +880,7 @@ int mdelete(int argc, char **argv)
 	char *cp;
 	Sig_t oldintr;
 	string str;
+	int errs;
 
 	if (argc < 2)
 		argv = re_makeargv("(remote-files) ", &argc);
@@ -886,7 +891,7 @@ int mdelete(int argc, char **argv)
 	activemcmd = 1;
 	oldintr = Signal(SIGINT, mabort);
 	(void) setjmp(jabort);
-	while ((cp = remglob(argv)) != NULL) {
+	while ((cp = remglob(argv, &errs)) != NULL) {
 		if (*cp == '\0') {
 			activemcmd = 0;
 			continue;
@@ -903,7 +908,10 @@ int mdelete(int argc, char **argv)
 	}
 	(void) Signal(SIGINT, oldintr);
 	activemcmd = 0;
-	return NOERR;
+	if (!errs)
+		return NOERR;
+	else
+		return CMDERR;
 }	/* mdelete */
 
 
@@ -1282,9 +1290,12 @@ int rmthelp(int argc, char **argv)
 /*ARGSUSED*/
 int quit(int argc, char **argv)
 {
-	close_up_shop();
+	int rc;
+
+	/* slightly kludge.  argc == -1 means failure from some other caller */
+	rc = close_up_shop() || argc == -1;
 	trim_log();
-	exit(0);
+	exit(rc);
 }	/* quit */
 
 
@@ -1331,19 +1342,22 @@ int disconnect(int argc, char **argv)
 
 
 
-void
+int
 close_up_shop(void)
 {
 	static int only_once = 0;
+	int rcode = 0;
+
 	if (only_once++ > 0)
 		return;
 	if (connected)
 		(void) disconnect(0, NULL);
-	WriteRecentSitesFile();
+	rcode = WriteRecentSitesFile();
 	if (logf != NULL) {
 		(void) fclose(logf);
 		logf = NULL;
 	}
+	return rcode;
 }	/* close_up_shop */
 
 
diff --git a/usr.bin/ncftp/cmds.h b/usr.bin/ncftp/cmds.h
index fe1cacc494b2..11dff6acc06d 100644
--- a/usr.bin/ncftp/cmds.h
+++ b/usr.bin/ncftp/cmds.h
@@ -77,7 +77,7 @@ int rem_glob_one(char *pattern);
 int get(int argc, char **argv);
 void mabort SIG_PARAMS;
 int mget(int argc, char **argv);
-char *remglob(char *argv[]);
+char *remglob(char *argv[], int *);
 int setverbose(int argc, char **argv);
 int setprompt(int argc, char **argv);
 int setdebug(int argc, char **argv);
@@ -100,7 +100,7 @@ int rmthelp(int argc, char **argv);
 int quit(int argc, char **argv);
 void close_streams(int wantShutDown);
 int disconnect(int argc, char **argv);
-void close_up_shop(void);
+int close_up_shop(void);
 int globulize(char **cpp);
 int cdup(int argc, char **argv);
 int syst(int argc, char **argv);
diff --git a/usr.bin/ncftp/ftprc.c b/usr.bin/ncftp/ftprc.c
index e8380cef6e0e..c048852f16fd 100644
--- a/usr.bin/ncftp/ftprc.c
+++ b/usr.bin/ncftp/ftprc.c
@@ -258,11 +258,12 @@ static void SortRecentList(void)
 
 
 
-void WriteRecentSitesFile(void)
+int WriteRecentSitesFile(void)
 {
 	FILE			*rfp;
 	recentsite		*r;
 	int				i;
+	int retcode = 0;
 
 	if ((recent_file[0] != 0) && (nRecents > 0) && (keep_recent)) {
 		dbprintf("Attempting to write %s...\n", recent_file);
@@ -279,8 +280,10 @@ void WriteRecentSitesFile(void)
 			(void) chmod(recent_file, 0600);
 		} else {
 			perror(recent_file);
+			++retcode;
 		}
 	}
+	return retcode;
 }	/* WriteRecentSitesFile */
 
 
diff --git a/usr.bin/ncftp/ftprc.h b/usr.bin/ncftp/ftprc.h
index 14eec88ad860..eed0217ea721 100644
--- a/usr.bin/ncftp/ftprc.h
+++ b/usr.bin/ncftp/ftprc.h
@@ -30,7 +30,7 @@ void AddNewSitePtr(char *word);
 int ruserpass2(char *host, char **user, char **pass, char **acct);
 void GetFullSiteName(char *host, char *lastdir);
 void ReadRecentSitesFile(void);
-void WriteRecentSitesFile(void);
+int  WriteRecentSitesFile(void);
 void AddRecentSite(char *host, char *lastdir);
 void UpdateRecentSitesList(char *host, char *lastdir);
 void PrintSiteList(void);
diff --git a/usr.bin/ncftp/main.c b/usr.bin/ncftp/main.c
index 446c1c3a508b..e2f620a5d21f 100644
--- a/usr.bin/ncftp/main.c
+++ b/usr.bin/ncftp/main.c
@@ -390,7 +390,8 @@ For testing purposes only.  Do not re-distribute or subject to novice users."
 		(void) Signal(SIGPIPE, lostpeer);
 	}
 	for (;;) {
-		(void) cmdscanner(top);
+		if (cmdscanner(top))
+			exit(1);
 		top = 1;
 	}
 }	/* main */
@@ -569,9 +570,10 @@ void lostpeer SIG_PARAMS
 /*
  * Command parser.
  */
-void cmdscanner(int top)
+int cmdscanner(int top)
 {
 	register struct cmd *c;
+	int cmd_status, rcode = 0;
 
 	if (!top)
 		(void) putchar('\n');
@@ -601,13 +603,17 @@ void cmdscanner(int top)
 			(void) printf ("Not connected.\n");
 			continue;
 		}
-		if ((*c->c_handler)(margc, margv) == USAGE)
+		cmd_status = (*c->c_handler)(margc, margv);
+	    if (cmd_status == USAGE)
 			cmd_usage(c);
+	    else if (cmd_status == CMDERR)
+			rcode = 1;
 		if (c->c_handler != help)
 			break;
 	}
 	(void) Signal(SIGINT, intr);
 	(void) Signal(SIGPIPE, lostpeer);
+	return rcode;
 }	/* cmdscanner */
 
 
diff --git a/usr.bin/ncftp/main.h b/usr.bin/ncftp/main.h
index 1891b61d77c6..fd6438c38549 100644
--- a/usr.bin/ncftp/main.h
+++ b/usr.bin/ncftp/main.h
@@ -22,7 +22,7 @@ int init_arrays(void);
 void init_transfer_buffer(void);
 void init_prompt(void);
 void lostpeer SIG_PARAMS;
-void cmdscanner(int top);
+int cmdscanner(int top);
 char *strprompt(void);
 void makeargv(void);
 char *slurpstring(void);
diff --git a/usr.bin/ncftp/open.c b/usr.bin/ncftp/open.c
index 66733a88ec9c..fbbe7945f7dd 100644
--- a/usr.bin/ncftp/open.c
+++ b/usr.bin/ncftp/open.c
@@ -399,6 +399,7 @@ void CheckRemoteSystemType(int force_binary)
 void ColonMode(OpenOptions *openopt)
 {
 	int tmpverbose;
+	int cmdstatus;
 
 	/* How do we tell if colonmodepath is a file or a directory?
 	 * We first try cd'ing to the path first.  If we can, then it
@@ -437,15 +438,15 @@ void ColonMode(OpenOptions *openopt)
 		
 		/* get() also handles 'more'. */
 		if (openopt->ftpcat)
-			(void) get(margc, margv);
+			cmdstatus = get(margc, margv);
 		else
-			(void) mget(margc, margv);
+			cmdstatus = mget(margc, margv);
 
 		/* If we were invoked from the command line, quit
 		 * after we got this file.
 		 */
 		if (eventnumber == 0L) {
-			(void) quit(0, NULL);
+			(void) quit(cmdstatus == CMDERR ? -1 : 0, NULL);
 		}
 	}
 	verbose = tmpverbose;