diff --git a/src/lxc/lxc_checkpoint.c b/src/lxc/lxc_checkpoint.c
index e0be048dd..fe0557b6c 100644
--- a/src/lxc/lxc_checkpoint.c
+++ b/src/lxc/lxc_checkpoint.c
@@ -69,18 +69,17 @@ Options :\n\
 
 int main(int argc, char *argv[])
 {
-	int ret;
+	int ret = -1;
 
-	ret = lxc_arguments_parse(&my_args, argc, argv);
-	if (ret)
-		return 1;
+	if (lxc_arguments_parse(&my_args, argc, argv))
+		return ret;
 
 	if (lxc_log_init(my_args.log_file, my_args.log_priority,
 			 my_args.progname, my_args.quiet))
-		return -1;
+		return ret;
 
 	if (lxc_freeze(my_args.name))
-		return -1;
+		return ret;
 
 	if (lxc_checkpoint(my_args.name, my_args.argv[0], 0))
 		goto out;
@@ -94,7 +93,7 @@ int main(int argc, char *argv[])
 
 out:
 	if (lxc_unfreeze(my_args.name))
-		return 1;
+		return -1;
 
 	return ret;
 }
diff --git a/src/lxc/lxc_restart.c b/src/lxc/lxc_restart.c
index 3ac5b35e8..1727fe209 100644
--- a/src/lxc/lxc_restart.c
+++ b/src/lxc/lxc_restart.c
@@ -58,18 +58,15 @@ Options :\n\
 
 int main(int argc, char *argv[])
 {
-	int ret;
-
-	ret = lxc_arguments_parse(&my_args, argc, argv);
-	if (ret)
-		return 1;
+	if (lxc_arguments_parse(&my_args, argc, argv))
+		return -1;
 
 	if (lxc_log_init(my_args.log_file, my_args.log_priority,
 			 my_args.progname, my_args.quiet))
-		return 1;
+		return -1;
 
 	if (lxc_restart(my_args.name, my_args.argv[0], 0))
-		return 1;
+		return -1;
 
 	return 0;
 }