diff --git a/bin/compose-core b/bin/compose-core
index f7d6986..b4f236e 100755
--- a/bin/compose-core
+++ b/bin/compose-core
@@ -87,6 +87,8 @@ $WHITE$exname$NORMAL reads '/etc/compose.conf' for global variables, and
 #[[ "${BASH_SOURCE[0]}" == "" ]] && SOURCED=true
 $(return >/dev/null 2>&1) && SOURCED=true
 
+errlvl() { return "${1:-1}"; }
+export -f errlvl
 
 if [ "$UID" == 0 ]; then
     CACHEDIR=${CACHEDIR:-/var/cache/compose}
@@ -4272,6 +4274,10 @@ if [ -n "$full_init" ]; then
     fi
 
 fi | log
+if [ "${PIPESTATUS[0]}" != 0 ]; then
+    exit 1
+fi
+
 
 if [ "$action" == "run" -a "${#services_args}" != 0 ]; then
     charm=$(get_service_charm "${services_args[0]}") || exit 1
@@ -4337,6 +4343,7 @@ case "$action" in
         if [ "$is_service_action" ]; then
             run_service_action "$SERVICE_PACK" "$action" "${remainder_args[@]}"
             errlvl="$?"
+            errlvl "$errlvl"
         else
             launch_docker_compose "${compose_opts[@]}" "$action" "${action_opts[@]}" "${action_posargs[@]}" "${remainder_args[@]}"
         fi