diff --git a/guix/ui.scm b/guix/ui.scm
index fa747b7b08..2b7cc3d41a 100644
--- a/guix/ui.scm
+++ b/guix/ui.scm
@@ -621,7 +621,8 @@ directories:~{ ~a~}~%")
              (format (current-error-port)
                      (G_ "~a: error: ~a~%")
                      (location->string (error-location c))
-                     (gettext (condition-message c) %gettext-domain)))
+                     (gettext (condition-message c) %gettext-domain))
+             (exit 1))
             ((message-condition? c)
              ;; Normally '&message' error conditions have an i18n'd message.
              (leave (G_ "~a~%")