diff --git a/apps/wolfssh/wolfssh.c b/apps/wolfssh/wolfssh.c
index 9448e3f34..21242d7b2 100644
--- a/apps/wolfssh/wolfssh.c
+++ b/apps/wolfssh/wolfssh.c
@@ -1104,6 +1104,11 @@ static THREAD_RETURN WOLFSSH_THREAD wolfSSH_Client(void* args)
         }
     }
     WCLOSESOCKET(sockFd);
+
+#if defined(WOLFSSH_TERM) || defined(WOLFSSH_SHELL)
+    ((func_args*)args)->return_code = wolfSSH_GetExitStatus(ssh);
+#endif
+
     wolfSSH_free(ssh);
     wolfSSH_CTX_free(ctx);
     if (ret != WS_SUCCESS && ret != WS_SOCKET_ERROR_E)
diff --git a/apps/wolfsshd/test/error_return.sh b/apps/wolfsshd/test/error_return.sh
new file mode 100755
index 000000000..0c00336e5
--- /dev/null
+++ b/apps/wolfsshd/test/error_return.sh
@@ -0,0 +1,31 @@
+#!/bin/sh
+
+# sshd local test
+
+PWD=`pwd`
+cd ../../..
+
+TEST_CLIENT="./examples/client/client"
+USER=`whoami`
+PRIVATE_KEY="./keys/hansel-key-ecc.der"
+PUBLIC_KEY="./keys/hansel-key-ecc.pub"
+
+if [ -z "$1" ] || [ -z "$2" ]; then
+    echo "expecting host and port as arguments"
+    echo "./error_return.sh 127.0.0.1 22222"
+    exit -1
+fi
+
+echo "$TEST_CLIENT -c 'bash -c \"(exit 2)\"' -u $USER -i $PRIVATE_KEY -j $PUBLIC_KEY -h \"$1\" -p \"$2\""
+$TEST_CLIENT -c 'bash -c "(exit 2)"' -u $USER -i $PRIVATE_KEY -j $PUBLIC_KEY -h "$1" -p "$2"
+RESULT=$?
+if [ "$RESULT" != 2 ]; then
+    echo "Expecting error return value of 2 for failed ls command, found $RESULT"
+    cd $PWD
+    exit 1
+fi
+
+cd $PWD
+exit 0
+
+
diff --git a/apps/wolfsshd/test/run_all_sshd_tests.sh b/apps/wolfsshd/test/run_all_sshd_tests.sh
index 4c082d2cd..017609c5e 100755
--- a/apps/wolfsshd/test/run_all_sshd_tests.sh
+++ b/apps/wolfsshd/test/run_all_sshd_tests.sh
@@ -53,6 +53,10 @@ run_test() {
 run_test "sshd_exec_test.sh"
 run_test "sshd_term_size_test.sh"
 
+#Github actions needs resolved for these test cases
+#run_test "error_return.sh"
+#run_test "sshd_login_grace_test.sh"
+
 # add aditional tests here, check on var USING_LOCAL_HOST if can make sshd
 # server start/restart with changes
 
diff --git a/apps/wolfsshd/wolfsshd.c b/apps/wolfsshd/wolfsshd.c
index 896723e57..bd3ad8ed4 100644
--- a/apps/wolfsshd/wolfsshd.c
+++ b/apps/wolfsshd/wolfsshd.c
@@ -1140,6 +1140,12 @@ static int SHELL_Subsystem(WOLFSSHD_CONNECTION* conn, WOLFSSH* ssh,
                 HeapFree(GetProcessHeap(), 0, ext.lpAttributeList);
             }
 
+            if (wolfSSH_SetExitStatus(ssh, processState) !=
+                    WS_SUCCESS) {
+                wolfSSH_Log(WS_LOG_ERROR, "[SSHD] Issue sending childs exit "
+                    "status");
+            }
+
             ClosePseudoConsole(pCon);
             CloseHandle(processInfo.hThread);
             CloseHandle(wolfSSHD_GetAuthToken(conn->auth));
@@ -1308,13 +1314,9 @@ static int SHELL_Subsystem(WOLFSSHD_CONNECTION* conn, WOLFSSH* ssh,
             wolfSSH_Log(WS_LOG_ERROR, "[SSHD] Issue opening shell");
             exit(1);
         }
-        exit(0); /* exit child process and close down SSH connection */
+        exit(ret); /* exit child process and close down SSH connection */
     }
 
-    /* do not wait for status of child process, and signal that the child can
-     * be reaped to avoid zombie processes when running in the foreground */
-    signal(SIGCHLD, SIG_IGN);
-
     if (wolfSSHD_AuthReducePermissionsUser(conn->auth, pPasswd->pw_uid,
         pPasswd->pw_gid) != WS_SUCCESS) {
         wolfSSH_Log(WS_LOG_ERROR, "[SSHD] Error setting user ID");
@@ -1454,6 +1456,27 @@ static int SHELL_Subsystem(WOLFSSHD_CONNECTION* conn, WOLFSSH* ssh,
         }
     }
 
+    /* get return value of child process */
+    {
+        int waitStatus;
+
+        do {
+            rc = waitpid(childPid, &waitStatus, 0);
+            /* if the waitpid experinced an interupt then try again */
+        } while (rc < 0 && errno == EINTR);
+
+        if (rc < 0) {
+            wolfSSH_Log(WS_LOG_ERROR, "[SSHD] Issue waiting for childs exit "
+                    "status");
+        }
+        else {
+            if (wolfSSH_SetExitStatus(ssh, (word32)WEXITSTATUS(waitStatus)) !=
+                WS_SUCCESS) {
+                wolfSSH_Log(WS_LOG_ERROR, "[SSHD] Issue setting childs exit "
+                    "status");
+            }
+        }
+    }
     (void)conn;
     return WS_SUCCESS;
 }
@@ -1657,7 +1680,7 @@ static void* HandleConnection(void* arg)
                         SHELL_Subsystem(conn, ssh, pPasswd, usrConf,
                                 wolfSSH_GetSessionCommand(ssh));
                     }
-                #endif /* WOLFSH_SHELL */
+                #endif /* WOLFSSH_SHELL */
 
                     /* SCP can be an exec type */
                     if (ret == WS_SCP_INIT) {
@@ -1712,9 +1735,16 @@ static void* HandleConnection(void* arg)
                     break;
                 }
 
-                if (error != WS_WANT_READ && error != WS_WANT_WRITE) {
+                if (ret == WS_FATAL_ERROR &&
+                   (error != WS_WANT_READ &&
+                    error != WS_WANT_WRITE)) {
                     break;
                 }
+            #ifdef _WIN32
+                Sleep(1);
+            #else
+                usleep(1);
+            #endif
             }
 
             if (attempt == maxAttempt) {
@@ -1724,6 +1754,7 @@ static void* HandleConnection(void* arg)
         }
     }
 
+    /* check if there is a response to the shutdown */
     wolfSSH_free(ssh);
     if (conn != NULL) {
         WCLOSESOCKET(conn->fd);
diff --git a/examples/client/client.c b/examples/client/client.c
index b1f523881..4d56575f6 100644
--- a/examples/client/client.c
+++ b/examples/client/client.c
@@ -982,15 +982,23 @@ THREAD_RETURN WOLFSSH_THREAD client_test(void* args)
             err_sys("Sending the shutdown messages failed.");
         }
         ret = wolfSSH_worker(ssh, NULL);
-        if (ret != WS_SUCCESS) {
+        if (ret != WS_SUCCESS && ret != WS_SOCKET_ERROR_E &&
+            ret != WS_CHANNEL_CLOSED) {
             err_sys("Failed to listen for close messages from the peer.");
         }
     }
     WCLOSESOCKET(sockFd);
+
+#if defined(WOLFSSH_TERM) || defined(WOLFSSH_SHELL)
+    ((func_args*)args)->return_code = wolfSSH_GetExitStatus(ssh);
+#endif
+
     wolfSSH_free(ssh);
     wolfSSH_CTX_free(ctx);
-    if (ret != WS_SUCCESS && ret != WS_SOCKET_ERROR_E)
+    if (ret != WS_SUCCESS && ret != WS_SOCKET_ERROR_E &&
+            ret != WS_CHANNEL_CLOSED) {
         err_sys("Closing client stream failed");
+    }
 
     ClientFreeBuffers(pubKeyName, privKeyName);
 #if !defined(WOLFSSH_NO_ECC) && defined(FP_ECC) && defined(HAVE_THREAD_LS)
diff --git a/src/internal.c b/src/internal.c
index 5d708f7b3..4e69277fb 100644
--- a/src/internal.c
+++ b/src/internal.c
@@ -7542,6 +7542,40 @@ static int DoChannelRequest(WOLFSSH* ssh,
             }
         }
 #endif /* WOLFSSH_SHELL && WOLFSSH_TERM */
+#if defined(WOLFSSH_TERM) || defined(WOLFSSH_SHELL)
+        else if (WSTRNCMP(type, "exit-status", typeSz) == 0) {
+            ret = GetUint32(&ssh->exitStatus, buf, len, &begin);
+            WLOG(WS_LOG_AGENT, "Got exit status %u.", ssh->exitStatus);
+        }
+        else if (WSTRNCMP(type, "exit-signal", typeSz) == 0) {
+            char sig[WOLFSSH_MAX_NAMESZ];
+            word32 sigSz;
+            byte coreDumped;
+
+            WLOG(WS_LOG_AGENT, "Got exit signal, remote command terminated");
+
+            sigSz = WOLFSSH_MAX_NAMESZ;
+            ret = GetString(sig, &sigSz, buf, len, &begin);
+            if (ret == WS_SUCCESS) {
+                WLOG(WS_LOG_AGENT, "SIGNAL      : %s", sig);
+                ret = GetBoolean(&coreDumped, buf, len, &begin);
+            }
+
+            if (ret == WS_SUCCESS) {
+                WLOG(WS_LOG_AGENT, "Core Dumped?: %d", coreDumped);
+                sigSz = WOLFSSH_MAX_NAMESZ;
+                ret = GetString(sig, &sigSz, buf, len, &begin);
+            }
+
+            if (ret == WS_SUCCESS) {
+                WLOG(WS_LOG_AGENT, "Error Msg  : %s", sig);
+                sigSz = WOLFSSH_MAX_NAMESZ;
+
+                /* getting language tag */
+                ret = GetString(sig, &sigSz, buf, len, &begin);
+            }
+        }
+#endif
     }
 
     if (ret == WS_SUCCESS)
diff --git a/src/ssh.c b/src/ssh.c
index 4597f8a03..c0b70ab66 100644
--- a/src/ssh.c
+++ b/src/ssh.c
@@ -954,24 +954,47 @@ int wolfSSH_connect(WOLFSSH* ssh)
 int wolfSSH_shutdown(WOLFSSH* ssh)
 {
     int ret = WS_SUCCESS;
+    WOLFSSH_CHANNEL* channel = NULL;
 
     WLOG(WS_LOG_DEBUG, "Entering wolfSSH_shutdown()");
 
     if (ssh == NULL || ssh->channelList == NULL)
         ret = WS_BAD_ARGUMENT;
 
-    if (ret == WS_SUCCESS)
-        ret = SendChannelEof(ssh, ssh->channelList->peerChannel);
+    /* look up the channel if it still exists */
+    if (ret == WS_SUCCESS) {
+        channel = ChannelFind(ssh, ssh->channelList->peerChannel, WS_CHANNEL_ID_SELF);
+    }
 
-    /* continue on success and in case where queing up send packets */
-    if (ret == WS_SUCCESS ||
-            (ret != WS_BAD_ARGUMENT && ssh->error == WS_WANT_WRITE))
-        ret = SendChannelExit(ssh, ssh->channelList->peerChannel, 0);
+    /* if channel close was not already sent then send it */
+    if (channel != NULL && !channel->closeTxd) {
+       if (ret == WS_SUCCESS) {
+           ret = SendChannelEof(ssh, ssh->channelList->peerChannel);
+       }
 
-    /* continue on success and in case where queing up send packets */
-    if (ret == WS_SUCCESS ||
-            (ret != WS_BAD_ARGUMENT && ssh->error == WS_WANT_WRITE))
-        ret = SendChannelClose(ssh, ssh->channelList->peerChannel);
+       /* continue on success and in case where queing up send packets */
+       if (ret == WS_SUCCESS ||
+               (ret != WS_BAD_ARGUMENT && ssh->error == WS_WANT_WRITE)) {
+           ret = SendChannelExit(ssh, ssh->channelList->peerChannel,
+           #if defined(WOLFSSH_TERM) || defined(WOLFSSH_SHELL)
+               ssh->exitStatus);
+           #else
+               0);
+           #endif
+       }
+
+       /* continue on success and in case where queing up send packets */
+       if (ret == WS_SUCCESS ||
+               (ret != WS_BAD_ARGUMENT && ssh->error == WS_WANT_WRITE))
+           ret = SendChannelClose(ssh, ssh->channelList->peerChannel);
+    }
+
+
+    /* if the channel was not yet removed then read to get
+     * response to SendChannelClose */
+    if (channel != NULL && ret == WS_SUCCESS) {
+        ret = wolfSSH_worker(ssh, NULL);
+    }
 
     if (ssh != NULL && ssh->channelList == NULL) {
         WLOG(WS_LOG_DEBUG, "channel list was already removed");
@@ -1365,6 +1388,34 @@ void wolfSSH_SetTerminalResizeCtx(WOLFSSH* ssh, void* usrCtx)
 #endif
 
 
+#if defined(WOLFSSH_TERM) || defined(WOLFSSH_SHELL)
+/* returns the exit status captured from the connection if any */
+int wolfSSH_GetExitStatus(WOLFSSH* ssh)
+{
+    if (ssh == NULL) {
+        WLOG(WS_LOG_DEBUG, "wolfSSH_GetExitStatus WOLFSSH struct was NULL");
+        return WS_BAD_ARGUMENT;
+    }
+    return ssh->exitStatus;
+}
+
+
+/* Sets the exit status to send on shutdown
+ * returns WS_SUCCESS on success */
+int wolfSSH_SetExitStatus(WOLFSSH* ssh, word32 exitStatus)
+{
+    if (ssh == NULL) {
+        WLOG(WS_LOG_DEBUG, "wolfSSH_SetExitStatus WOLFSSH struct was NULL");
+        return WS_BAD_ARGUMENT;
+    }
+    WLOG(WS_LOG_DEBUG, "wolfSSH_SetExitStatus sending exit status %u",
+        exitStatus);
+    ssh->exitStatus = exitStatus;
+    return WS_SUCCESS;
+}
+#endif
+
+
 /* Used to set the channel request type sent in wolfSSH connect. The default
  * type set is shell if this function is not called.
  *
diff --git a/tests/api.c b/tests/api.c
index c417a1c56..b7f26063a 100644
--- a/tests/api.c
+++ b/tests/api.c
@@ -1051,6 +1051,14 @@ static void test_wolfSSH_SFTP_SendReadPacket(void)
         /* If the socket is closed on shutdown, peer is gone, this is OK. */
         argsCount = WS_SUCCESS;
     }
+
+#if DEFAULT_HIGHWATER_MARK < 8000
+    if (argsCount == WS_REKEYING) {
+        /* in cases where highwater mark is really small a re-key could happen */
+        argsCount = WS_SUCCESS;
+    }
+#endif
+
     AssertIntEQ(argsCount, WS_SUCCESS);
 
     wolfSSH_free(ssh);
diff --git a/wolfssh/internal.h b/wolfssh/internal.h
index c31b229e7..fe435b33e 100644
--- a/wolfssh/internal.h
+++ b/wolfssh/internal.h
@@ -822,6 +822,9 @@ struct WOLFSSH {
     byte* modes;
     word32 modesSz;
 #endif
+#if defined(WOLFSSH_TERM) || defined(WOLFSSH_SHELL)
+    word32 exitStatus;
+#endif
 };
 
 
@@ -953,6 +956,8 @@ WOLFSSH_LOCAL int SendChannelTerminalResize(WOLFSSH*, word32, word32, word32,
 WOLFSSH_LOCAL int SendChannelTerminalRequest(WOLFSSH* ssh);
 WOLFSSH_LOCAL int SendChannelAgentRequest(WOLFSSH* ssh);
 WOLFSSH_LOCAL int SendChannelSuccess(WOLFSSH*, word32, int);
+WOLFSSH_LOCAL int SendChannelExitStatus(WOLFSSH* ssh, word32 channelId,
+    word32 exitStatus);
 WOLFSSH_LOCAL int GenerateKey(byte, byte, byte*, word32, const byte*, word32,
                               const byte*, word32, const byte*, word32, byte doKeyPad);
 
diff --git a/wolfssh/ssh.h b/wolfssh/ssh.h
index 10da1f1c7..0e2d49f85 100644
--- a/wolfssh/ssh.h
+++ b/wolfssh/ssh.h
@@ -293,6 +293,8 @@ typedef int (*WS_CallbackTerminalSize)(WOLFSSH*, word32, word32, word32,
 WOLFSSH_API void wolfSSH_SetTerminalResizeCb(WOLFSSH* ssh,
     WS_CallbackTerminalSize cb);
 WOLFSSH_API void wolfSSH_SetTerminalResizeCtx(WOLFSSH* ssh, void* usrCtx);
+WOLFSSH_API int wolfSSH_GetExitStatus(WOLFSSH* ssh);
+WOLFSSH_API int wolfSSH_SetExitStatus(WOLFSSH* ssh, word32 exitStatus);
 
 
 enum WS_HighwaterSide {