diff --git a/src/bitcoin-cli.cpp b/src/bitcoin-cli.cpp
index 0bb71329f5f..0c7d6fe5ac4 100644
--- a/src/bitcoin-cli.cpp
+++ b/src/bitcoin-cli.cpp
@@ -65,17 +65,17 @@ int main(int argc, char* argv[])
     try
     {
         if(!AppInitRPC(argc, argv))
-            return abs(RPC_MISC_ERROR);
+            return EXIT_FAILURE;
     }
     catch (std::exception& e) {
         PrintExceptionContinue(&e, "AppInitRPC()");
-        return abs(RPC_MISC_ERROR);
+        return EXIT_FAILURE;
     } catch (...) {
         PrintExceptionContinue(NULL, "AppInitRPC()");
-        return abs(RPC_MISC_ERROR);
+        return EXIT_FAILURE;
     }
 
-    int ret = abs(RPC_MISC_ERROR);
+    int ret = EXIT_FAILURE;
     try
     {
         ret = CommandLineRPC(argc, argv);
diff --git a/src/rpcclient.cpp b/src/rpcclient.cpp
index b89a95ad119..1a5b3f7412e 100644
--- a/src/rpcclient.cpp
+++ b/src/rpcclient.cpp
@@ -234,7 +234,7 @@ int CommandLineRPC(int argc, char *argv[])
     }
     catch (std::exception& e) {
         strPrint = string("error: ") + e.what();
-        nRet = abs(RPC_MISC_ERROR);
+        nRet = EXIT_FAILURE;
     }
     catch (...) {
         PrintExceptionContinue(NULL, "CommandLineRPC()");