diff --git a/src/core/main.c b/src/core/main.c
index 97394d71..638dea9c 100644
--- a/src/core/main.c
+++ b/src/core/main.c
@@ -26,6 +26,7 @@ FILE_LICENCE ( GPL2_OR_LATER_OR_UBDL );
  * @ret rc		Return status code
  */
 __asmcall int main ( void ) {
+	int rc;
 
 	/* Perform one-time-only initialisation (e.g. heap) */
 	initialise();
@@ -35,9 +36,11 @@ __asmcall int main ( void ) {
 	startup();
 	printf ( "ok\n" );
 
-	ipxe ( NULL );
+	/* Attempt to boot */
+	if ( ( rc = ipxe ( NULL ) ) != 0 )
+		goto err_ipxe;
 
+ err_ipxe:
 	shutdown_exit();
-
-	return 0;
+	return rc;
 }
diff --git a/src/include/usr/autoboot.h b/src/include/usr/autoboot.h
index c0603a0a..4db226b9 100644
--- a/src/include/usr/autoboot.h
+++ b/src/include/usr/autoboot.h
@@ -35,7 +35,7 @@ extern int uriboot ( struct uri *filename, struct uri *root_path, int drive,
 extern struct uri *
 fetch_next_server_and_filename ( struct settings *settings );
 extern int netboot ( struct net_device *netdev );
-extern void ipxe ( struct net_device *netdev );
+extern int ipxe ( struct net_device *netdev );
 
 extern int pxe_menu_boot ( struct net_device *netdev );
 
diff --git a/src/interface/efi/efi_snp.c b/src/interface/efi/efi_snp.c
index 1b21c40c..3dfcc5e1 100644
--- a/src/interface/efi/efi_snp.c
+++ b/src/interface/efi/efi_snp.c
@@ -871,6 +871,7 @@ efi_snp_load_file ( EFI_LOAD_FILE_PROTOCOL *load_file,
 	struct efi_snp_device *snpdev =
 		container_of ( load_file, struct efi_snp_device, load_file );
 	struct net_device *netdev = snpdev->netdev;
+	int rc;
 
 	/* Fail unless this is a boot attempt */
 	if ( ! booting ) {
@@ -886,16 +887,13 @@ efi_snp_load_file ( EFI_LOAD_FILE_PROTOCOL *load_file,
 	efi_watchdog_start();
 
 	/* Boot from network device */
-	ipxe ( netdev );
+	if ( ( rc = ipxe ( netdev ) ) != 0 )
+		goto err_ipxe;
 
-	/* Stop watchdog holdoff timer */
+ err_ipxe:
 	efi_watchdog_stop();
-
-	/* Release network devices for use via SNP */
 	efi_snp_release();
-
-	/* Assume boot process was aborted */
-	return EFI_ABORTED;
+	return EFIRC ( rc );
 }
 
 /** Load file protocol */
diff --git a/src/usr/autoboot.c b/src/usr/autoboot.c
index ccafeae7..6dbe25ca 100644
--- a/src/usr/autoboot.c
+++ b/src/usr/autoboot.c
@@ -542,11 +542,13 @@ static int shell_banner ( void ) {
  * Main iPXE flow of execution
  *
  * @v netdev		Network device, or NULL
+ * @ret rc		Return status code
  */
-void ipxe ( struct net_device *netdev ) {
+int ipxe ( struct net_device *netdev ) {
 	struct feature *feature;
 	struct image *image;
 	char *scriptlet;
+	int rc;
 
 	/*
 	 * Print welcome banner
@@ -570,28 +572,30 @@ void ipxe ( struct net_device *netdev ) {
 	/* Boot system */
 	if ( ( image = first_image() ) != NULL ) {
 		/* We have an embedded image; execute it */
-		image_exec ( image );
+		return image_exec ( image );
 	} else if ( shell_banner() ) {
 		/* User wants shell; just give them a shell */
-		shell();
+		return shell();
 	} else {
 		fetch_string_setting_copy ( NULL, &scriptlet_setting,
 					    &scriptlet );
 		if ( scriptlet ) {
 			/* User has defined a scriptlet; execute it */
-			system ( scriptlet );
+			rc = system ( scriptlet );
 			free ( scriptlet );
+			return rc;
 		} else {
 			/* Try booting.  If booting fails, offer the
 			 * user another chance to enter the shell.
 			 */
 			if ( netdev ) {
-				netboot ( netdev );
+				rc = netboot ( netdev );
 			} else {
-				autoboot();
+				rc = autoboot();
 			}
 			if ( shell_banner() )
-				shell();
+				rc = shell();
+			return rc;
 		}
 	}
 }