diff --git a/cmd-if-shell.c b/cmd-if-shell.c
index a074341b..9b6dcf30 100644
--- a/cmd-if-shell.c
+++ b/cmd-if-shell.c
@@ -147,6 +147,9 @@ cmd_if_shell_done(struct cmd_q *cmdq1)
 	struct cmd_if_shell_data	*cdata = cmdq1->data;
 	struct cmd_q			*cmdq = cdata->cmdq;
 
+	if (cmdq1->client_exit >= 0)
+		cmdq->client_exit = cmdq1->client_exit;
+
 	if (!cmdq_free(cmdq) && !cdata->bflag)
 		cmdq_continue(cmdq);
 
diff --git a/cmd-queue.c b/cmd-queue.c
index 38a88d23..19d98190 100644
--- a/cmd-queue.c
+++ b/cmd-queue.c
@@ -35,7 +35,7 @@ cmdq_new(struct client *c)
 	cmdq->dead = 0;
 
 	cmdq->client = c;
-	cmdq->client_exit = 0;
+	cmdq->client_exit = -1;
 
 	TAILQ_INIT(&cmdq->queue);
 	cmdq->item = NULL;
@@ -259,7 +259,7 @@ cmdq_continue(struct cmd_q *cmdq)
 	} while (cmdq->item != NULL);
 
 empty:
-	if (cmdq->client_exit)
+	if (cmdq->client_exit > 0)
 		cmdq->client->flags |= CLIENT_EXIT;
 	if (cmdq->emptyfn != NULL)
 		cmdq->emptyfn(cmdq); /* may free cmdq */
diff --git a/cmd-source-file.c b/cmd-source-file.c
index d636643d..eb7e1490 100644
--- a/cmd-source-file.c
+++ b/cmd-source-file.c
@@ -95,6 +95,9 @@ cmd_source_file_done(struct cmd_q *cmdq1)
 {
 	struct cmd_q	*cmdq = cmdq1->data;
 
+	if (cmdq1->client_exit >= 0)
+		cmdq->client_exit = cmdq1->client_exit;
+
 	cmdq_free(cmdq1);
 
 	cfg_references--;