diff --git a/cmd/podman/registry/registry.go b/cmd/podman/registry/registry.go
index 607ef6d8e2..e1ab142975 100644
--- a/cmd/podman/registry/registry.go
+++ b/cmd/podman/registry/registry.go
@@ -23,12 +23,10 @@ type CliCommand struct {
 	Parent  *cobra.Command
 }
 
-const ExecErrorCodeGeneric = 125
-
 var (
 	cliCtx          context.Context
 	containerEngine entities.ContainerEngine
-	exitCode        = ExecErrorCodeGeneric
+	exitCode        = 0
 	imageEngine     entities.ImageEngine
 
 	// Commands holds the cobra.Commands to present to the user, including
diff --git a/cmd/podman/root.go b/cmd/podman/root.go
index 371ded9a81..c798e66340 100644
--- a/cmd/podman/root.go
+++ b/cmd/podman/root.go
@@ -89,14 +89,10 @@ func init() {
 
 func Execute() {
 	if err := rootCmd.ExecuteContext(registry.GetContextWithOptions()); err != nil {
+		if registry.GetExitCode() == 0 {
+			registry.SetExitCode(define.ExecErrorCodeGeneric)
+		}
 		fmt.Fprintln(os.Stderr, formatError(err))
-	} else if registry.GetExitCode() == registry.ExecErrorCodeGeneric {
-		// The exitCode modified from registry.ExecErrorCodeGeneric,
-		// indicates an application
-		// running inside of a container failed, as opposed to the
-		// podman command failed.  Must exit with that exit code
-		// otherwise command exited correctly.
-		registry.SetExitCode(0)
 	}
 	os.Exit(registry.GetExitCode())
 }
diff --git a/cmd/podman/system/migrate.go b/cmd/podman/system/migrate.go
index b9dc272d7d..d78ac72868 100644
--- a/cmd/podman/system/migrate.go
+++ b/cmd/podman/system/migrate.go
@@ -9,6 +9,7 @@ import (
 	"github.com/containers/common/pkg/completion"
 	"github.com/containers/podman/v3/cmd/podman/registry"
 	"github.com/containers/podman/v3/cmd/podman/validate"
+	"github.com/containers/podman/v3/libpod/define"
 	"github.com/containers/podman/v3/pkg/domain/entities"
 	"github.com/containers/podman/v3/pkg/domain/infra"
 	"github.com/spf13/cobra"
@@ -60,14 +61,14 @@ func migrate(cmd *cobra.Command, args []string) {
 	engine, err := infra.NewSystemEngine(entities.MigrateMode, registry.PodmanConfig())
 	if err != nil {
 		fmt.Println(err)
-		os.Exit(125)
+		os.Exit(define.ExecErrorCodeGeneric)
 	}
 	defer engine.Shutdown(registry.Context())
 
 	err = engine.Migrate(registry.Context(), cmd.Flags(), registry.PodmanConfig(), migrateOptions)
 	if err != nil {
 		fmt.Println(err)
-		os.Exit(125)
+		os.Exit(define.ExecErrorCodeGeneric)
 	}
 	os.Exit(0)
 }
diff --git a/cmd/podman/system/renumber.go b/cmd/podman/system/renumber.go
index 83a873c2a4..f27abf570c 100644
--- a/cmd/podman/system/renumber.go
+++ b/cmd/podman/system/renumber.go
@@ -9,6 +9,7 @@ import (
 	"github.com/containers/common/pkg/completion"
 	"github.com/containers/podman/v3/cmd/podman/registry"
 	"github.com/containers/podman/v3/cmd/podman/validate"
+	"github.com/containers/podman/v3/libpod/define"
 	"github.com/containers/podman/v3/pkg/domain/entities"
 	"github.com/containers/podman/v3/pkg/domain/infra"
 	"github.com/spf13/cobra"
@@ -47,14 +48,14 @@ func renumber(cmd *cobra.Command, args []string) {
 	engine, err := infra.NewSystemEngine(entities.RenumberMode, registry.PodmanConfig())
 	if err != nil {
 		fmt.Println(err)
-		os.Exit(125)
+		os.Exit(define.ExecErrorCodeGeneric)
 	}
 	defer engine.Shutdown(registry.Context())
 
 	err = engine.Renumber(registry.Context(), cmd.Flags(), registry.PodmanConfig())
 	if err != nil {
 		fmt.Println(err)
-		os.Exit(125)
+		os.Exit(define.ExecErrorCodeGeneric)
 	}
 	os.Exit(0)
 }
diff --git a/cmd/podman/system/reset.go b/cmd/podman/system/reset.go
index c64d09ed28..8a05bb09f5 100644
--- a/cmd/podman/system/reset.go
+++ b/cmd/podman/system/reset.go
@@ -11,6 +11,7 @@ import (
 	"github.com/containers/common/pkg/completion"
 	"github.com/containers/podman/v3/cmd/podman/registry"
 	"github.com/containers/podman/v3/cmd/podman/validate"
+	"github.com/containers/podman/v3/libpod/define"
 	"github.com/containers/podman/v3/pkg/domain/entities"
 	"github.com/containers/podman/v3/pkg/domain/infra"
 	"github.com/sirupsen/logrus"
@@ -87,13 +88,13 @@ WARNING! This will remove:
 	engine, err := infra.NewSystemEngine(entities.ResetMode, registry.PodmanConfig())
 	if err != nil {
 		logrus.Error(err)
-		os.Exit(125)
+		os.Exit(define.ExecErrorCodeGeneric)
 	}
 	defer engine.Shutdown(registry.Context())
 
 	if err := engine.Reset(registry.Context()); err != nil {
 		logrus.Error(err)
-		os.Exit(125)
+		os.Exit(define.ExecErrorCodeGeneric)
 	}
 	os.Exit(0)
 }
diff --git a/test/e2e/run_exit_test.go b/test/e2e/run_exit_test.go
index e86718577d..6c39e5a1f1 100644
--- a/test/e2e/run_exit_test.go
+++ b/test/e2e/run_exit_test.go
@@ -1,6 +1,7 @@
 package integration
 
 import (
+	"fmt"
 	"os"
 
 	"github.com/containers/podman/v3/libpod/define"
@@ -63,4 +64,10 @@ var _ = Describe("Podman run exit", func() {
 		result.WaitWithDefaultTimeout()
 		Expect(result).Should(Exit(50))
 	})
+
+	It("podman run exit 125", func() {
+		result := podmanTest.Podman([]string{"run", ALPINE, "sh", "-c", fmt.Sprintf("exit %d", define.ExecErrorCodeGeneric)})
+		result.WaitWithDefaultTimeout()
+		Expect(result).Should(Exit(define.ExecErrorCodeGeneric))
+	})
 })