diff --git a/usr.sbin/bhyve/aarch64/bhyverun_machdep.c b/usr.sbin/bhyve/aarch64/bhyverun_machdep.c
--- a/usr.sbin/bhyve/aarch64/bhyverun_machdep.c
+++ b/usr.sbin/bhyve/aarch64/bhyverun_machdep.c
@@ -168,7 +168,7 @@
 				pci_print_supported_devices();
 				exit(0);
 			} else if (pci_parse_slot(optarg) != 0)
-				exit(4);
+				exit(BHYVE_EXIT_ERROR);
 			else
 				break;
 		case 'S':
diff --git a/usr.sbin/bhyve/aarch64/vmexit.c b/usr.sbin/bhyve/aarch64/vmexit.c
--- a/usr.sbin/bhyve/aarch64/vmexit.c
+++ b/usr.sbin/bhyve/aarch64/vmexit.c
@@ -115,15 +115,15 @@
 
 	switch (how) {
 	case VM_SUSPEND_RESET:
-		exit(0);
+		exit(BHYVE_EXIT_RESET);
 	case VM_SUSPEND_POWEROFF:
 		if (get_config_bool_default("destroy_on_poweroff", false))
 			vm_destroy(ctx);
-		exit(1);
+		exit(BHYVE_EXIT_POWEROFF);
 	case VM_SUSPEND_HALT:
-		exit(2);
+		exit(BHYVE_EXIT_HALT);
 	case VM_SUSPEND_DESTROY:
-		exit(4);
+		exit(BHYVE_EXIT_ERROR);
 	default:
 		fprintf(stderr, "vmexit_suspend: invalid reason %d\n", how);
 		exit(100);
diff --git a/usr.sbin/bhyve/amd64/bhyverun_machdep.c b/usr.sbin/bhyve/amd64/bhyverun_machdep.c
--- a/usr.sbin/bhyve/amd64/bhyverun_machdep.c
+++ b/usr.sbin/bhyve/amd64/bhyverun_machdep.c
@@ -186,7 +186,7 @@
 				pci_print_supported_devices();
 				exit(0);
 			} else if (pci_parse_slot(optarg) != 0)
-				exit(4);
+				exit(BHYVE_EXIT_ERROR);
 			else
 				break;
 		case 'S':
@@ -276,7 +276,7 @@
 		err = vm_get_capability(vcpu, VM_CAP_HALT_EXIT, &tmp);
 		if (err < 0) {
 			EPRINTLN("VM exit on HLT not supported");
-			exit(4);
+			exit(BHYVE_EXIT_ERROR);
 		}
 		vm_set_capability(vcpu, VM_CAP_HALT_EXIT, 1);
 	}
@@ -288,7 +288,7 @@
 		err = vm_get_capability(vcpu, VM_CAP_PAUSE_EXIT, &tmp);
 		if (err < 0) {
 			EPRINTLN("SMP mux requested, no pause support");
-			exit(4);
+			exit(BHYVE_EXIT_ERROR);
 		}
 		vm_set_capability(vcpu, VM_CAP_PAUSE_EXIT, 1);
 	}
@@ -300,7 +300,7 @@
 
 	if (err) {
 		EPRINTLN("Unable to set x2apic state (%d)", err);
-		exit(4);
+		exit(BHYVE_EXIT_ERROR);
 	}
 
 	vm_set_capability(vcpu, VM_CAP_ENABLE_INVPCID, 1);
diff --git a/usr.sbin/bhyve/amd64/fwctl.c b/usr.sbin/bhyve/amd64/fwctl.c
--- a/usr.sbin/bhyve/amd64/fwctl.c
+++ b/usr.sbin/bhyve/amd64/fwctl.c
@@ -368,7 +368,7 @@
 		/* Verify size */
 		if (value < 12) {
 			printf("msg size error");
-			exit(4);
+			exit(BHYVE_EXIT_ERROR);
 		}
 		rinfo.req_size = value;
 		rinfo.req_count = 1;
diff --git a/usr.sbin/bhyve/amd64/vmexit.c b/usr.sbin/bhyve/amd64/vmexit.c
--- a/usr.sbin/bhyve/amd64/vmexit.c
+++ b/usr.sbin/bhyve/amd64/vmexit.c
@@ -409,17 +409,17 @@
 
 	switch (how) {
 	case VM_SUSPEND_RESET:
-		exit(0);
+		exit(BHYVE_EXIT_RESET);
 	case VM_SUSPEND_POWEROFF:
 		if (get_config_bool_default("destroy_on_poweroff", false))
 			vm_destroy(ctx);
-		exit(1);
+		exit(BHYVE_EXIT_POWEROFF);
 	case VM_SUSPEND_HALT:
-		exit(2);
+		exit(BHYVE_EXIT_HALT);
 	case VM_SUSPEND_TRIPLEFAULT:
-		exit(3);
+		exit(BHYVE_EXIT_TRIPLEFAULT);
 	case VM_SUSPEND_DESTROY:
-		exit(4);
+		exit(BHYVE_EXIT_ERROR);
 	default:
 		EPRINTLN("vmexit_suspend: invalid reason %d", how);
 		exit(100);
diff --git a/usr.sbin/bhyve/bhyverun.h b/usr.sbin/bhyve/bhyverun.h
--- a/usr.sbin/bhyve/bhyverun.h
+++ b/usr.sbin/bhyve/bhyverun.h
@@ -34,6 +34,15 @@
 #define	VMEXIT_CONTINUE		(0)
 #define	VMEXIT_ABORT		(-1)
 
+/*
+ * Exit status codes as described in the bhyve(8) manpage.
+ */
+#define BHYVE_EXIT_RESET	0
+#define BHYVE_EXIT_POWEROFF	1
+#define BHYVE_EXIT_HALT		2
+#define BHYVE_EXIT_TRIPLEFAULT	3
+#define BHYVE_EXIT_ERROR	4
+
 extern int guest_ncpus;
 extern uint16_t cpu_cores, cpu_sockets, cpu_threads;
 
diff --git a/usr.sbin/bhyve/bhyverun.c b/usr.sbin/bhyve/bhyverun.c
--- a/usr.sbin/bhyve/bhyverun.c
+++ b/usr.sbin/bhyve/bhyverun.c
@@ -477,7 +477,7 @@
 		value = get_config_value_node(nvl, "cpus");
 		if (value == NULL) {
 			EPRINTLN("Missing CPU set for domain %d", dom);
-			exit(4);
+			exit(BHYVE_EXIT_ERROR);
 		}
 
 		parse_cpuset(dom, value, &cpus);
@@ -487,7 +487,7 @@
 				EPRINTLN(
 				    "Unable to set vCPU %d affinity for domain %d: %s",
 				    cpu, dom, strerror(errno));
-				exit(4);
+				exit(BHYVE_EXIT_ERROR);
 			}
 		}
 	}
@@ -504,7 +504,7 @@
 			EPRINTLN(
 			    "Unable to set vCPU %d affinity for domain %d: %s",
 			    cpu, 0, strerror(errno));
-			exit(4);
+			exit(BHYVE_EXIT_ERROR);
 		}
 	}
 }
@@ -562,7 +562,7 @@
 
 	vm_loop(vi->ctx, vi->vcpu);
 	/* We get here if the VM was destroyed asynchronously. */
-	exit(4);
+	exit(BHYVE_EXIT_ERROR);
 }
 
 void
@@ -596,7 +596,7 @@
 	pthread_mutex_lock(&resetcpu_mtx);
 	if (!CPU_ISSET(vcpu, &cpumask)) {
 		EPRINTLN("Attempting to delete unknown cpu %d", vcpu);
-		exit(4);
+		exit(BHYVE_EXIT_ERROR);
 	}
 
 	CPU_CLR(vcpu, &cpumask);
@@ -645,7 +645,7 @@
 		if (exitcode >= VM_EXITCODE_MAX ||
 		    vmexit_handlers[exitcode] == NULL) {
 			warnx("vm_loop: unexpected exitcode 0x%x", exitcode);
-			exit(4);
+			exit(BHYVE_EXIT_ERROR);
 		}
 
 		rc = (*vmexit_handlers[exitcode])(ctx, vcpu, &vmrun);
@@ -656,7 +656,7 @@
 		case VMEXIT_ABORT:
 			abort();
 		default:
-			exit(4);
+			exit(BHYVE_EXIT_ERROR);
 		}
 	}
 	EPRINTLN("vm_run error %d, errno %d", error, errno);
@@ -816,7 +816,7 @@
 		if (error) {
 			fprintf(stderr, "Failed to read checkpoint info from "
 					"file: '%s'.\n", restore_file);
-			exit(1);
+			exit(BHYVE_EXIT_ERROR);
 		}
 		vmname = lookup_vmname(&rstate);
 		if (vmname != NULL)
@@ -833,7 +833,7 @@
 
 	if (get_config_bool_default("config.dump", false)) {
 		dump_config();
-		exit(1);
+		exit(BHYVE_EXIT_POWEROFF);
 	}
 
 	calc_topology();
@@ -855,7 +855,7 @@
 
 	if (guest_ncpus < 1) {
 		fprintf(stderr, "Invalid guest vCPUs (%d)\n", guest_ncpus);
-		exit(1);
+		exit(BHYVE_EXIT_ERROR);
 	}
 #endif
 
@@ -864,7 +864,7 @@
 	if (guest_ncpus > max_vcpus) {
 		fprintf(stderr, "%d vCPUs requested but only %d available\n",
 			guest_ncpus, max_vcpus);
-		exit(4);
+		exit(BHYVE_EXIT_ERROR);
 	}
 
 	bhyve_init_vcpu(bsp);
@@ -898,17 +898,17 @@
 	init_mem(guest_ncpus);
 	init_bootrom(ctx);
 	if (bhyve_init_platform(ctx, bsp) != 0)
-		exit(4);
+		exit(BHYVE_EXIT_ERROR);
 
 	if (qemu_fwcfg_init(ctx) != 0) {
 		fprintf(stderr, "qemu fwcfg initialization error\n");
-		exit(4);
+		exit(BHYVE_EXIT_ERROR);
 	}
 
 	if (qemu_fwcfg_add_file("opt/bhyve/hw.ncpu", sizeof(guest_ncpus),
 	    &guest_ncpus) != 0) {
 		fprintf(stderr, "Could not add qemu fwcfg opt/bhyve/hw.ncpu\n");
-		exit(4);
+		exit(BHYVE_EXIT_ERROR);
 	}
 
 	/*
@@ -917,11 +917,11 @@
 	if (init_pci(ctx) != 0) {
 		EPRINTLN("Device emulation initialization error: %s",
 		    strerror(errno));
-		exit(4);
+		exit(BHYVE_EXIT_ERROR);
 	}
 	if (init_tpm(ctx) != 0) {
 		EPRINTLN("Failed to init TPM device");
-		exit(4);
+		exit(BHYVE_EXIT_ERROR);
 	}
 
 	/*
@@ -946,37 +946,37 @@
 		FPRINTLN(stdout, "Pausing pci devs...");
 		if (vm_pause_devices() != 0) {
 			EPRINTLN("Failed to pause PCI device state.");
-			exit(1);
+			exit(BHYVE_EXIT_ERROR);
 		}
 
 		FPRINTLN(stdout, "Restoring vm mem...");
 		if (restore_vm_mem(ctx, &rstate) != 0) {
 			EPRINTLN("Failed to restore VM memory.");
-			exit(1);
+			exit(BHYVE_EXIT_ERROR);
 		}
 
 		FPRINTLN(stdout, "Restoring pci devs...");
 		if (vm_restore_devices(&rstate) != 0) {
 			EPRINTLN("Failed to restore PCI device state.");
-			exit(1);
+			exit(BHYVE_EXIT_ERROR);
 		}
 
 		FPRINTLN(stdout, "Restoring kernel structs...");
 		if (vm_restore_kern_structs(ctx, &rstate) != 0) {
 			EPRINTLN("Failed to restore kernel structs.");
-			exit(1);
+			exit(BHYVE_EXIT_ERROR);
 		}
 
 		FPRINTLN(stdout, "Resuming pci devs...");
 		if (vm_resume_devices() != 0) {
 			EPRINTLN("Failed to resume PCI device state.");
-			exit(1);
+			exit(BHYVE_EXIT_ERROR);
 		}
 	}
 #endif
 
 	if (bhyve_init_platform_late(ctx, bsp) != 0)
-		exit(4);
+		exit(BHYVE_EXIT_ERROR);
 
 	/*
 	 * Change the proc title to include the VM name.
@@ -1018,5 +1018,5 @@
 	 */
 	mevent_dispatch();
 
-	exit(4);
+	exit(BHYVE_EXIT_ERROR);
 }
diff --git a/usr.sbin/bhyve/gdb.c b/usr.sbin/bhyve/gdb.c
--- a/usr.sbin/bhyve/gdb.c
+++ b/usr.sbin/bhyve/gdb.c
@@ -1105,7 +1105,7 @@
 
 	if (!gdb_active) {
 		EPRINTLN("vm_loop: unexpected VMEXIT_DEBUG");
-		exit(4);
+		exit(BHYVE_EXIT_ERROR);
 	}
 	vcpuid = vcpu_id(vcpu);
 	pthread_mutex_lock(&gdb_lock);
diff --git a/usr.sbin/bhyve/mevent.c b/usr.sbin/bhyve/mevent.c
--- a/usr.sbin/bhyve/mevent.c
+++ b/usr.sbin/bhyve/mevent.c
@@ -55,6 +55,7 @@
 #include <pthread.h>
 #include <pthread_np.h>
 
+#include "bhyverun.h"
 #include "mevent.h"
 
 #define	MEVENT_MAX	64
@@ -517,7 +518,7 @@
 	ret = pipe(mevent_pipefd);
 	if (ret < 0) {
 		perror("pipe");
-		exit(0);
+		exit(BHYVE_EXIT_ERROR);
 	}
 
 #ifndef WITHOUT_CAPSICUM
diff --git a/usr.sbin/bhyve/mevent_test.c b/usr.sbin/bhyve/mevent_test.c
--- a/usr.sbin/bhyve/mevent_test.c
+++ b/usr.sbin/bhyve/mevent_test.c
@@ -45,6 +45,7 @@
 #include <pthread.h>
 #include <unistd.h>
 
+#include "bhyverun.h"
 #include "mevent.h"
 
 #define TEST_PORT	4321
@@ -139,7 +140,7 @@
 	mev = mevent_add(fd, EVF_READ, echoer_callback, &sync);
 	if (mev == NULL) {
 		printf("Could not allocate echoer event\n");
-		exit(4);
+		exit(BHYVE_EXIT_ERROR);
 	}
 
 	while (!pthread_cond_wait(&sync.e_cond, &sync.e_mt)) {
@@ -197,7 +198,7 @@
 
 	if ((s = socket(AF_INET, SOCK_STREAM, 0)) < 0) {
 		perror("cannot create socket");
-		exit(4);
+		exit(BHYVE_EXIT_ERROR);
 	}
 
 	sin.sin_len = sizeof(sin);
@@ -207,12 +208,12 @@
 
 	if (bind(s, (struct sockaddr *)&sin, sizeof(sin)) < 0) {
 		perror("cannot bind socket");
-		exit(4);
+		exit(BHYVE_EXIT_ERROR);
 	}
 
 	if (listen(s, 1) < 0) {
 		perror("cannot listen socket");
-		exit(4);
+		exit(BHYVE_EXIT_ERROR);
 	}
 
 	(void) mevent_add(s, EVF_READ, acceptor_callback, NULL);
diff --git a/usr.sbin/bhyve/net_backend_slirp.c b/usr.sbin/bhyve/net_backend_slirp.c
--- a/usr.sbin/bhyve/net_backend_slirp.c
+++ b/usr.sbin/bhyve/net_backend_slirp.c
@@ -59,6 +59,7 @@
 #include <string.h>
 #include <unistd.h>
 
+#include "bhyverun.h"
 #include "config.h"
 #include "debug.h"
 #include "libslirp.h"
@@ -372,7 +373,7 @@
 		error = poll(pollfds, npollfds, timeout);
 		if (error == -1 && errno != EINTR) {
 			EPRINTLN("poll: %s", strerror(errno));
-			exit(1);
+			exit(BHYVE_EXIT_ERROR);
 		}
 		pthread_mutex_lock(&priv->mtx);
 		slirp_pollfds_poll_p(priv->slirp, error == -1,
@@ -392,7 +393,7 @@
 			} while (n == 1);
 			if (n != -1 || errno != EAGAIN) {
 				EPRINTLN("read(wakeup): %s", strerror(errno));
-				exit(1);
+				exit(BHYVE_EXIT_ERROR);
 			}
 		}
 	}
diff --git a/usr.sbin/bhyve/riscv/bhyverun_machdep.c b/usr.sbin/bhyve/riscv/bhyverun_machdep.c
--- a/usr.sbin/bhyve/riscv/bhyverun_machdep.c
+++ b/usr.sbin/bhyve/riscv/bhyverun_machdep.c
@@ -159,7 +159,7 @@
 				pci_print_supported_devices();
 				exit(0);
 			} else if (pci_parse_slot(optarg) != 0)
-				exit(4);
+				exit(BHYVE_EXIT_ERROR);
 			else
 				break;
 		case 'S':
diff --git a/usr.sbin/bhyve/riscv/vmexit.c b/usr.sbin/bhyve/riscv/vmexit.c
--- a/usr.sbin/bhyve/riscv/vmexit.c
+++ b/usr.sbin/bhyve/riscv/vmexit.c
@@ -114,15 +114,15 @@
 
 	switch (how) {
 	case VM_SUSPEND_RESET:
-		exit(0);
+		exit(BHYVE_EXIT_RESET);
 	case VM_SUSPEND_POWEROFF:
 		if (get_config_bool_default("destroy_on_poweroff", false))
 			vm_destroy(ctx);
-		exit(1);
+		exit(BHYVE_EXIT_POWEROFF);
 	case VM_SUSPEND_HALT:
-		exit(2);
+		exit(BHYVE_EXIT_HALT);
 	case VM_SUSPEND_DESTROY:
-		exit(4);
+		exit(BHYVE_EXIT_ERROR);
 	default:
 		fprintf(stderr, "vmexit_suspend: invalid reason %d\n", how);
 		exit(100);