diff --git a/src/pacman/add.c b/src/pacman/add.c
index 2400b5d0..9020449d 100644
--- a/src/pacman/add.c
+++ b/src/pacman/add.c
@@ -139,6 +139,7 @@ int pacman_add(list_t *targets)
 cleanup:
 	if(alpm_trans_release() == -1) {
 		ERR(NL, "failed to release transaction (%s)\n", alpm_strerror(pm_errno));
+		retval = 1;
 	}
 
 	return(retval);
diff --git a/src/pacman/remove.c b/src/pacman/remove.c
index ef0810b6..c3ac8f88 100644
--- a/src/pacman/remove.c
+++ b/src/pacman/remove.c
@@ -150,6 +150,7 @@ cleanup:
 
 	if(alpm_trans_release() == -1) {
 		ERR(NL, "failed to release transaction (%s)\n", alpm_strerror(pm_errno));
+		retval = 1;
 	}
 
 	return(retval);
diff --git a/src/pacman/sync.c b/src/pacman/sync.c
index 28c916ed..d9463a87 100644
--- a/src/pacman/sync.c
+++ b/src/pacman/sync.c
@@ -790,6 +790,7 @@ int pacman_sync(list_t *targets)
 cleanup:
 	if(alpm_trans_release() == -1) {
 		ERR(NL, "failed to release transaction (%s)\n", alpm_strerror(pm_errno));
+		retval = 1;
 	}
 
 	return(retval);