diff --git a/salt/cli/__init__.py b/salt/cli/__init__.py
index <HASH>..<HASH> 100644
--- a/salt/cli/__init__.py
+++ b/salt/cli/__init__.py
@@ -252,6 +252,7 @@ class SaltCMD(object):
             ret = exc
             out = ''
             self._output_ret(ret, out)
+            sys.exit(2)
             return
 
         if 'query' in self.opts:
Send Correct Exit code when catching SaltClientError in cli