diff --git a/awesome.c b/awesome.c
index eb347d60f..6a289842e 100644
--- a/awesome.c
+++ b/awesome.c
@@ -490,6 +490,7 @@ main(int argc, char **argv)
     p_clear(&globalconf, 1);
     globalconf.keygrabber = LUA_REFNIL;
     globalconf.mousegrabber = LUA_REFNIL;
+    globalconf.exit_code = EXIT_SUCCESS;
     buffer_init(&globalconf.startup_errors);
     string_array_init(&searchpath);
 
@@ -754,7 +755,7 @@ main(int argc, char **argv)
 
     awesome_atexit(false);
 
-    return EXIT_SUCCESS;
+    return globalconf.exit_code;
 }
 
 // vim: filetype=c:expandtab:shiftwidth=4:tabstop=8:softtabstop=4:textwidth=80
diff --git a/globalconf.h b/globalconf.h
index 2560531b6..cab3364d6 100644
--- a/globalconf.h
+++ b/globalconf.h
@@ -194,6 +194,8 @@ typedef struct
     window_array_t destroy_later_windows;
     /** Pending event that still needs to be handled */
     xcb_generic_event_t *pending_event;
+    /** The exit code that main() will return with */
+    int exit_code;
 } awesome_t;
 
 extern awesome_t globalconf;
diff --git a/luaa.c b/luaa.c
index 8c718b7a3..e5cd05564 100644
--- a/luaa.c
+++ b/luaa.c
@@ -155,11 +155,14 @@ composite_manager_running(void)
 }
 
 /** Quit awesome.
+ * @tparam[opt=0] integer code The exit code to use when exiting.
  * @function quit
  */
 static int
 luaA_quit(lua_State *L)
 {
+    if (!lua_isnoneornil(L, 1))
+        globalconf.exit_code = luaL_checkinteger(L, 1);
     if (globalconf.loop == NULL)
         globalconf.loop = g_main_loop_new(NULL, FALSE);
     g_main_loop_quit(globalconf.loop);