diff --git a/lib/server.js b/lib/server.js
index a5dbe74e9..0c91bdbf3 100644
--- a/lib/server.js
+++ b/lib/server.js
@@ -184,6 +184,7 @@ Server.prototype._start = function (config, launcher, preprocess, fileList,
       var noLoadErrors = self.loadErrors.length
       if (noLoadErrors > 0) {
         self.log.error('Found %d load error%s', noLoadErrors, noLoadErrors === 1 ? '' : 's')
+        process.exitCode = 1
         process.kill(process.pid, 'SIGINT')
       }
     })
@@ -392,7 +393,9 @@ Server.prototype._start = function (config, launcher, preprocess, fileList,
     })
   }
 
-  processWrapper.on('SIGINT', disconnectBrowsers)
+  processWrapper.on('SIGINT', function () {
+    disconnectBrowsers(process.exitCode)
+  })
   processWrapper.on('SIGTERM', disconnectBrowsers)
 
   // Handle all unhandled exceptions, so we don't just exit but
diff --git a/test/unit/server.spec.js b/test/unit/server.spec.js
index 2ba89dee9..722cb80f7 100644
--- a/test/unit/server.spec.js
+++ b/test/unit/server.spec.js
@@ -81,7 +81,7 @@ describe('server', () => {
         callback && callback()
       }),
       removeAllListeners: () => {},
-      close: () => {}
+      close: sinon.spy(callback => callback && callback())
     }
 
     sinon.stub(server._injector, 'get')
@@ -195,6 +195,22 @@ describe('server', () => {
       server.emit('browser_register', {})
       expect(browsersReady).to.have.been.called
     })
+
+    it('should exit with error exit code on load errors', (done) => {
+      mockProcess(process)
+
+      server._start(mockConfig, mockLauncher, null, mockFileList, browserCollection, mockExecutor, (exitCode) => {
+        expect(exitCode).to.have.equal(1)
+        done()
+      })
+
+      server.loadErrors.push(['TestError', 'Test'])
+      fileListOnResolve()
+
+      function mockProcess (process) {
+        sinon.stub(process, 'kill', (pid, ev) => process.emit(ev))
+      }
+    })
   })
 
   describe.skip('singleRun', () => {