diff --git a/programs/benchmark.c b/programs/benchmark.c
index ad1aa99..886f7d8 100644
--- a/programs/benchmark.c
+++ b/programs/benchmark.c
@@ -456,7 +456,7 @@ tmain(int argc, tchar *argv[])
 		case '9':
 			level = parse_compression_level(opt_char, toptarg);
 			if (level == 0)
-				return -1;
+				return 1;
 			break;
 		case 'g':
 			wrapper = GZIP_WRAPPER;
diff --git a/programs/checksum.c b/programs/checksum.c
index eda4c16..1c42fd3 100644
--- a/programs/checksum.c
+++ b/programs/checksum.c
@@ -151,7 +151,7 @@ tmain(int argc, tchar *argv[])
 
 	buf = xmalloc(bufsize);
 	if (buf == NULL)
-		return -1;
+		return 1;
 
 	if (argc == 0) {
 		argv = default_file_list;
@@ -193,5 +193,5 @@ tmain(int argc, tchar *argv[])
 	ret = 0;
 out:
 	free(buf);
-	return ret;
+	return -ret;
 }
diff --git a/programs/gzip.c b/programs/gzip.c
index 61acaf3..ac5462d 100644
--- a/programs/gzip.c
+++ b/programs/gzip.c
@@ -466,7 +466,7 @@ tmain(int argc, tchar *argv[])
 			options.compression_level =
 				parse_compression_level(opt_char, toptarg);
 			if (options.compression_level == 0)
-				return -1;
+				return 1;
 			break;
 		case 'c':
 			options.to_stdout = true;