diff --git a/src/Base/Interpreter.cpp b/src/Base/Interpreter.cpp
index 6a0c4847c..d5b2a5152 100644
--- a/src/Base/Interpreter.cpp
+++ b/src/Base/Interpreter.cpp
@@ -131,7 +131,7 @@ SystemExitException::SystemExitException()
 }
 
 SystemExitException::SystemExitException(const SystemExitException &inst)
-  : Exception(inst)
+  : Exception(inst), _exitCode(inst._exitCode)
 {
 }
 
diff --git a/src/Gui/Application.cpp b/src/Gui/Application.cpp
index 935c7a3ea..1be3a9d48 100644
--- a/src/Gui/Application.cpp
+++ b/src/Gui/Application.cpp
@@ -1553,8 +1553,7 @@ void Application::runApplication(void)
     Base::Console().Log("Init: Creating Gui::Application and QApplication\n");
     // if application not yet created by the splasher
     int argc = App::Application::GetARGC();
-    int systemExit = 1000;
-    GUISingleApplication mainApp(argc, App::Application::GetARGV(), systemExit);
+    GUISingleApplication mainApp(argc, App::Application::GetARGV());
 
     // check if a single or multiple instances can run
     it = cfg.find("SingleInstance");
@@ -1786,9 +1785,11 @@ void Application::runApplication(void)
         boost::interprocess::file_lock flock(s.str().c_str());
         flock.lock();
 
-        int ret = mainApp.exec();
-        if (ret == systemExit)
-            throw Base::SystemExitException();
+        mainApp.exec();
+        // Qt can't handle exceptions thrown from event handlers, so we need
+        // to manually rethrow SystemExitExceptions.
+        if(mainApp.caughtException.get())
+            throw Base::SystemExitException(*mainApp.caughtException.get());
 
         // close the lock file, in case of a crash we can see the existing lock file
         // on the next restart and try to repair the documents, if needed.
diff --git a/src/Gui/GuiApplication.cpp b/src/Gui/GuiApplication.cpp
index 74183ee38..f5d7772a7 100644
--- a/src/Gui/GuiApplication.cpp
+++ b/src/Gui/GuiApplication.cpp
@@ -54,14 +54,13 @@
 
 #include <Base/Console.h>
 #include <Base/Exception.h>
-#include <Base/Interpreter.h>
 
 #include <App/Application.h>
 
 using namespace Gui;
 
-GUIApplication::GUIApplication(int & argc, char ** argv, int exitcode)
-    : GUIApplicationNativeEventAware(argc, argv), systemExit(exitcode)
+GUIApplication::GUIApplication(int & argc, char ** argv)
+    : GUIApplicationNativeEventAware(argc, argv)
 {
 }
 
@@ -82,8 +81,9 @@ bool GUIApplication::notify (QObject * receiver, QEvent * event)
         else
             return QApplication::notify(receiver, event);
     }
-    catch (const Base::SystemExitException&) {
-        qApp->exit(systemExit);
+    catch (const Base::SystemExitException &e) {
+        caughtException.reset(new Base::SystemExitException(e));
+        qApp->exit(e.getExitCode());
         return true;
     }
     catch (const Base::Exception& e) {
@@ -225,8 +225,8 @@ public:
     bool running;
 };
 
-GUISingleApplication::GUISingleApplication(int & argc, char ** argv, int exitcode)
-    : GUIApplication(argc, argv, exitcode),
+GUISingleApplication::GUISingleApplication(int & argc, char ** argv)
+    : GUIApplication(argc, argv),
       d_ptr(new Private(this))
 {
     d_ptr->setupConnection();
diff --git a/src/Gui/GuiApplication.h b/src/Gui/GuiApplication.h
index bc7827623..b245ae02f 100644
--- a/src/Gui/GuiApplication.h
+++ b/src/Gui/GuiApplication.h
@@ -25,7 +25,9 @@
 #define GUI_APPLICATION_H
 
 #include "GuiApplicationNativeEventAware.h"
+#include <Base/Interpreter.h> // For Base::SystemExitException
 #include <QList>
+#include <boost/shared_ptr.hpp>
 
 class QSessionManager;
 
@@ -39,7 +41,7 @@ class GUIApplication : public GUIApplicationNativeEventAware
     Q_OBJECT
 
 public:
-    explicit GUIApplication(int & argc, char ** argv, int exitcode);
+    explicit GUIApplication(int & argc, char ** argv);
     virtual ~GUIApplication();
 
     /**
@@ -49,11 +51,11 @@ public:
     bool notify (QObject * receiver, QEvent * event);
     void commitData(QSessionManager &manager);
 
+    /// Pointer to exceptions caught in Qt event handler
+    boost::shared_ptr<Base::SystemExitException> caughtException;
+
 protected:
     bool event(QEvent * event);
-
-private:
-    int systemExit;
 };
 
 class GUISingleApplication : public GUIApplication
@@ -61,7 +63,7 @@ class GUISingleApplication : public GUIApplication
     Q_OBJECT
 
 public:
-    explicit GUISingleApplication(int & argc, char ** argv, int exitcode);
+    explicit GUISingleApplication(int & argc, char ** argv);
     virtual ~GUISingleApplication();
 
     bool isRunning() const;
diff --git a/src/Main/MainCmd.cpp b/src/Main/MainCmd.cpp
index 3c3a9376c..397e07c84 100644
--- a/src/Main/MainCmd.cpp
+++ b/src/Main/MainCmd.cpp
@@ -125,8 +125,8 @@ int main( int argc, char ** argv )
     try {
         Application::runApplication();
     }
-    catch (const Base::SystemExitException&) {
-        exit(0);
+    catch (const Base::SystemExitException &e) {
+        exit(e.getExitCode());
     }
     catch (const Base::Exception& e) {
         e.ReportException();