diff --git a/src/babashka/main.clj b/src/babashka/main.clj
index e65318f5..fc744eb7 100644
--- a/src/babashka/main.clj
+++ b/src/babashka/main.clj
@@ -362,7 +362,7 @@ Use -- to separate script command line args from bb command line args.
 (defn error [msg exit]
   (binding [*out* *err*]
     (println msg)
-    {:exec (fn [] exit)}))
+    {:exec (fn [] [nil exit])}))
 
 (defn parse-opts [options]
   (let [opts (loop [options options
@@ -515,7 +515,10 @@ Use -- to separate script command line args from bb command line args.
         :shell
         (let [args (get task :args)]
           {:exec (fn []
-                   (p/process args {:inherit true}) p/check)})
+                   [nil
+                    (-> (p/process args {:inherit true})
+                        p/check
+                        :exit)])})
         :fn
         (let [var (get task :var)
               var-sym (symbol var)]
@@ -708,7 +711,7 @@ Use -- to separate script command line args from bb command line args.
                                                :verbose? verbose?
                                                :preloads preloads
                                                :loader (:loader @cp/cp-state)}))))
-                       exec-fn [(exec-fn) 0]
+                       exec-fn (exec-fn)
                        exec-src [(sci/binding [sci/file (or @sci/file "<task: >")]
                                    (sci/eval-string* sci-ctx exec-src))
                                  0]
diff --git a/test/babashka/test_utils.clj b/test/babashka/test_utils.clj
index 547d8a3b..384f75c8 100644
--- a/test/babashka/test_utils.clj
+++ b/test/babashka/test_utils.clj
@@ -10,6 +10,7 @@
 
 (defn bb-jvm [input-or-opts & args]
   (reset! cp/cp-state nil)
+  (reset! main/env {})
   (let [os (java.io.StringWriter.)
         es (if-let [err (:err input-or-opts)]
              err (java.io.StringWriter.))
@@ -30,6 +31,7 @@
                       (if (string? input-or-opts)
                         (with-in-str input-or-opts (apply main/main args))
                         (apply main/main args)))]
+            ;; (prn :err (str es))
             (if (zero? res)
               (str os)
               (throw (ex-info (str es)