diff --git a/proxy-init/main.go b/proxy-init/main.go
index a196d450012e8..f14e95582d97d 100644
--- a/proxy-init/main.go
+++ b/proxy-init/main.go
@@ -1,7 +1,13 @@
 package main
 
-import "github.com/linkerd/linkerd2/proxy-init/cmd"
+import (
+	"os"
+
+	"github.com/linkerd/linkerd2/proxy-init/cmd"
+)
 
 func main() {
-	cmd.NewRootCmd().Execute()
+	if err := cmd.NewRootCmd().Execute(); err != nil {
+		os.Exit(1)
+	}
 }