diff --git a/vcsh b/vcsh
index 0b4c45269d7cc30b862256ccd98cf5b74b99758e..ea748357b20974a56e289f6e601696a113d05d02 100755
--- a/vcsh
+++ b/vcsh
@@ -24,6 +24,7 @@ SELF=$(basename $0)
 
 fatal() {
 	echo "$SELF: fatal: $1" >&2
+	[ -z $2] && exit 1
 	exit $2
 }