diff --git a/checkout-index.c b/checkout-index.c
index f32513c507..97845324be 100644
--- a/checkout-index.c
+++ b/checkout-index.c
@@ -63,15 +63,20 @@ static int checkout_file(const char *name)
 
 static int checkout_all(void)
 {
-	int i;
+	int i, errs = 0;
 
 	for (i = 0; i < active_nr ; i++) {
 		struct cache_entry *ce = active_cache[i];
 		if (ce_stage(ce))
 			continue;
 		if (checkout_entry(ce, &state) < 0)
-			return -1;
+			errs++;
 	}
+	if (errs)
+		/* we have already done our error reporting.
+		 * exit with the same code as die().
+		 */
+		exit(128);
 	return 0;
 }
 
diff --git a/entry.c b/entry.c
index b8426dbd0d..15b34eb6f9 100644
--- a/entry.c
+++ b/entry.c
@@ -132,7 +132,7 @@ int checkout_entry(struct cache_entry *ce, struct checkout *state)
 		if (!state->force) {
 			if (!state->quiet)
 				fprintf(stderr, "git-checkout-index: %s already exists\n", path);
-			return 0;
+			return -1;
 		}
 
 		/*