diff --git a/cmd/helm/helm.go b/cmd/helm/helm.go
index 439573426..e1ce1ad28 100644
--- a/cmd/helm/helm.go
+++ b/cmd/helm/helm.go
@@ -79,7 +79,12 @@ func main() {
 
 	if err := cmd.Execute(); err != nil {
 		debug("%+v", err)
-		os.Exit(1)
+		switch e := err.(type) {
+		case pluginError:
+			os.Exit(e.code)
+		default:
+			os.Exit(1)
+		}
 	}
 }
 
diff --git a/cmd/helm/load_plugins.go b/cmd/helm/load_plugins.go
index 96c587dd3..568adb265 100644
--- a/cmd/helm/load_plugins.go
+++ b/cmd/helm/load_plugins.go
@@ -22,6 +22,7 @@ import (
 	"os/exec"
 	"path/filepath"
 	"strings"
+	"syscall"
 
 	"github.com/pkg/errors"
 	"github.com/spf13/cobra"
@@ -29,6 +30,11 @@ import (
 	"helm.sh/helm/pkg/plugin"
 )
 
+type pluginError struct {
+	error
+	code int
+}
+
 // loadPlugins loads plugins into the command list.
 //
 // This follows a different pattern than the other commands because it has
@@ -91,7 +97,11 @@ func loadPlugins(baseCmd *cobra.Command, out io.Writer) {
 				if err := prog.Run(); err != nil {
 					if eerr, ok := err.(*exec.ExitError); ok {
 						os.Stderr.Write(eerr.Stderr)
-						return errors.Errorf("plugin %q exited with error", md.Name)
+						status := eerr.Sys().(syscall.WaitStatus)
+						return pluginError{
+							error: errors.Errorf("plugin %q exited with error", md.Name),
+							code:  status.ExitStatus(),
+						}
 					}
 					return err
 				}