diff --git a/packages/babel-cli/src/babel/index.js b/packages/babel-cli/src/babel/index.js
index f3194576072a..a740bcdedadf 100755
--- a/packages/babel-cli/src/babel/index.js
+++ b/packages/babel-cli/src/babel/index.js
@@ -6,8 +6,12 @@ import fileCommand from "./file";
 
 const opts = parseArgv(process.argv);
 
-const fn = opts.cliOptions.outDir ? dirCommand : fileCommand;
-fn(opts).catch(err => {
-  console.error(err);
-  process.exit(1);
-});
+if (opts) {
+  const fn = opts.cliOptions.outDir ? dirCommand : fileCommand;
+  fn(opts).catch(err => {
+    console.error(err);
+    process.exitCode = 1;
+  });
+} else {
+  process.exitCode = 2;
+}
diff --git a/packages/babel-cli/src/babel/options.js b/packages/babel-cli/src/babel/options.js
index 19ae7bfce878..897c05ba16da 100644
--- a/packages/babel-cli/src/babel/options.js
+++ b/packages/babel-cli/src/babel/options.js
@@ -158,7 +158,7 @@ export type CmdOptions = {
   cliOptions: Object,
 };
 
-export default function parseArgv(args: Array<string>): CmdOptions {
+export default function parseArgv(args: Array<string>): CmdOptions | null {
   //
   commander.parse(args);
 
@@ -223,7 +223,7 @@ export default function parseArgv(args: Array<string>): CmdOptions {
     errors.forEach(function(e) {
       console.error("  " + e);
     });
-    process.exit(2);
+    return null;
   }
 
   const opts = commander.opts();
diff --git a/packages/babel-cli/src/babel/util.js b/packages/babel-cli/src/babel/util.js
index daacba53f0d2..9355c0ff85a4 100644
--- a/packages/babel-cli/src/babel/util.js
+++ b/packages/babel-cli/src/babel/util.js
@@ -112,7 +112,7 @@ export function deleteDir(path: string): void {
 
 process.on("uncaughtException", function(err) {
   console.error(err);
-  process.exit(1);
+  process.exitCode = 1;
 });
 
 export function requireChokidar(): Object {