diff --git a/src/container.c b/src/container.c
index 6a1dd62..99b671c 100644
--- a/src/container.c
+++ b/src/container.c
@@ -624,8 +624,15 @@ static int hyper_container_init(void *data)
 	execvp(container->exec.argv[0], container->exec.argv);
 	perror("exec container command failed");
 
+	 /* the exit codes follow the `chroot` standard,
+	    see docker/docs/reference/run.md#exit-status */
+	if (errno == ENOENT)
+		_exit(127);
+	else if (errno == EACCES)
+		_exit(126);
+
 fail:
-	_exit(-1);
+	_exit(125);
 }
 
 static int hyper_setup_pty(struct hyper_container *c)
diff --git a/src/exec.c b/src/exec.c
index 1ad68e8..2c0f121 100644
--- a/src/exec.c
+++ b/src/exec.c
@@ -590,10 +590,20 @@ static int hyper_do_exec_cmd(void *data)
 		goto exit;
 	}
 
-	if (execvp(exec->argv[0], exec->argv) < 0)
+	if (execvp(exec->argv[0], exec->argv) < 0) {
 		perror("exec failed");
+
+		 /* the exit codes follow the `chroot` standard,
+		    see docker/docs/reference/run.md#exit-status */
+		if (errno == ENOENT)
+			exit(127);
+		else if (errno == EACCES)
+			exit(126);
+
+	}
+
 exit:
-	_exit(ret);
+	_exit(125);
 out:
 	hyper_send_type(arg->pipe[1], ret ? ERROR : READY);
 	_exit(ret);