diff --git a/bin/compose-core b/bin/compose-core
index 2b35b05..d5b8bfb 100755
--- a/bin/compose-core
+++ b/bin/compose-core
@@ -3835,7 +3835,7 @@ is_docker_compose_action=
 rebuild_relations_to_service=()
 declare -A without_relations
 DC_MATCH_MULTI=$(get_docker_compose_multi_opts_list) &&
-    DC_MATCH_SINGLE=$(get_docker_compose_single_opts_list) || return 1
+    DC_MATCH_SINGLE=$(get_docker_compose_single_opts_list) || exit 1
 while read-0 arg; do
     case "$stage" in
         "main")