diff --git a/api/queries_pr.go b/api/queries_pr.go
index 6df1b91c9..db96e2faf 100644
--- a/api/queries_pr.go
+++ b/api/queries_pr.go
@@ -284,9 +284,7 @@ func PullRequests(client *Client, repo ghrepo.Interface, currentPRNumber int, cu
 									state
 								}
 								...on CheckRun {
-									name
 									status
-									conclusion
 								}
 							}
 						}
diff --git a/pkg/cmd/pr/checks/checks.go b/pkg/cmd/pr/checks/checks.go
index f42c3ec45..d3af8cbb0 100644
--- a/pkg/cmd/pr/checks/checks.go
+++ b/pkg/cmd/pr/checks/checks.go
@@ -89,19 +89,21 @@ func checksRun(opts *ChecksOptions) error {
 	pending := 0
 
 	type output struct {
-		mark    string
-		bucket  string
-		name    string
-		elapsed string
-		link    string
+		mark      string
+		bucket    string
+		name      string
+		elapsed   string
+		link      string
+		markColor func(string) string
 	}
 
 	outputs := []output{}
 
 	for _, c := range pr.Commits.Nodes[0].Commit.StatusCheckRollup.Contexts.Nodes {
-		mark := ""
-		bucket := ""
+		mark := "✓"
+		bucket := "pass"
 		state := c.State
+		markColor := utils.Green
 		if state == "" {
 			if c.Status == "COMPLETED" {
 				state = c.Conclusion
@@ -111,15 +113,15 @@ func checksRun(opts *ChecksOptions) error {
 		}
 		switch state {
 		case "SUCCESS", "NEUTRAL", "SKIPPED":
-			mark = utils.GreenCheck()
 			passing++
-			bucket = "pass"
 		case "ERROR", "FAILURE", "CANCELLED", "TIMED_OUT", "ACTION_REQUIRED":
-			mark = utils.RedX()
+			mark = "X"
+			markColor = utils.Red
 			failing++
 			bucket = "fail"
 		case "EXPECTED", "REQUESTED", "QUEUED", "PENDING", "IN_PROGRESS", "STALE":
-			mark = utils.YellowDash()
+			mark = "-"
+			markColor = utils.Yellow
 			pending++
 			bucket = "pending"
 		default:
@@ -146,28 +148,33 @@ func checksRun(opts *ChecksOptions) error {
 			name = c.Context
 		}
 
-		outputs = append(outputs, output{mark, bucket, name, elapsed, link})
+		outputs = append(outputs, output{mark, bucket, name, elapsed, link, markColor})
 	}
 
 	sort.Slice(outputs, func(i, j int) bool {
-		if outputs[i].bucket == outputs[j].bucket {
-			return outputs[i].name < outputs[j].name
-		} else {
-			if outputs[i].bucket == "fail" {
-				return true
-			} else if outputs[i].bucket == "pending" && outputs[j].bucket == "success" {
-				return true
+		b0 := outputs[i].bucket
+		n0 := outputs[i].name
+		l0 := outputs[i].link
+		b1 := outputs[j].bucket
+		n1 := outputs[j].name
+		l1 := outputs[j].link
+
+		if b0 == b1 {
+			if n0 == n1 {
+				return l0 < l1
+			} else {
+				return n0 < n1
 			}
 		}
 
-		return false
+		return (b0 == "fail") || (b0 == "pending" && b1 == "success")
 	})
 
 	tp := utils.NewTablePrinter(opts.IO)
 
 	for _, o := range outputs {
 		if opts.IO.IsStdoutTTY() {
-			tp.AddField(o.mark, nil, nil)
+			tp.AddField(o.mark, nil, o.markColor)
 			tp.AddField(o.name, nil, nil)
 			tp.AddField(o.elapsed, nil, nil)
 			tp.AddField(o.link, nil, nil)
@@ -207,5 +214,14 @@ func checksRun(opts *ChecksOptions) error {
 		fmt.Fprintln(opts.IO.Out)
 	}
 
-	return tp.Render()
+	err = tp.Render()
+	if err != nil {
+		return err
+	}
+
+	if failing+pending > 0 {
+		return cmdutil.SilentError
+	}
+
+	return nil
 }
diff --git a/pkg/cmd/pr/checks/checks_test.go b/pkg/cmd/pr/checks/checks_test.go
index 152f5aea9..43dbf8cda 100644
--- a/pkg/cmd/pr/checks/checks_test.go
+++ b/pkg/cmd/pr/checks/checks_test.go
@@ -68,6 +68,7 @@ func Test_checksRun(t *testing.T) {
 		stubs   func(*httpmock.Registry)
 		wantOut string
 		nontty  bool
+		wantErr bool
 	}{
 		{
 			name: "no commits",
@@ -96,11 +97,13 @@ func Test_checksRun(t *testing.T) {
 			name:    "some failing",
 			fixture: "./fixtures/someFailing.json",
 			wantOut: "Some checks were not successful\n1 failing, 1 successful, and 1 pending checks\n\nX  sad tests   1m26s  sweet link\n✓  cool tests  1m26s  sweet link\n-  slow tests  1m26s  sweet link\n",
+			wantErr: true,
 		},
 		{
 			name:    "some pending",
 			fixture: "./fixtures/somePending.json",
 			wantOut: "Some checks are still pending\n0 failing, 2 successful, and 1 pending checks\n\n✓  cool tests  1m26s  sweet link\n✓  rad tests   1m26s  sweet link\n-  slow tests  1m26s  sweet link\n",
+			wantErr: true,
 		},
 		{
 			name:    "all passing",
@@ -111,6 +114,7 @@ func Test_checksRun(t *testing.T) {
 			name:    "with statuses",
 			fixture: "./fixtures/withStatuses.json",
 			wantOut: "Some checks were not successful\n1 failing, 2 successful, and 0 pending checks\n\nX  a status           sweet link\n✓  cool tests  1m26s  sweet link\n✓  rad tests   1m26s  sweet link\n",
+			wantErr: true,
 		},
 		{
 			name:   "no commits",
@@ -142,12 +146,14 @@ func Test_checksRun(t *testing.T) {
 			nontty:  true,
 			fixture: "./fixtures/someFailing.json",
 			wantOut: "sad tests\tfail\t1m26s\tsweet link\ncool tests\tpass\t1m26s\tsweet link\nslow tests\tpending\t1m26s\tsweet link\n",
+			wantErr: true,
 		},
 		{
 			name:    "some pending",
 			nontty:  true,
 			fixture: "./fixtures/somePending.json",
 			wantOut: "cool tests\tpass\t1m26s\tsweet link\nrad tests\tpass\t1m26s\tsweet link\nslow tests\tpending\t1m26s\tsweet link\n",
+			wantErr: true,
 		},
 		{
 			name:    "all passing",
@@ -160,6 +166,7 @@ func Test_checksRun(t *testing.T) {
 			nontty:  true,
 			fixture: "./fixtures/withStatuses.json",
 			wantOut: "a status\tfail\t0\tsweet link\ncool tests\tpass\t1m26s\tsweet link\nrad tests\tpass\t1m26s\tsweet link\n",
+			wantErr: true,
 		},
 	}
 
@@ -191,7 +198,11 @@ func Test_checksRun(t *testing.T) {
 			}
 
 			err := checksRun(opts)
-			assert.NoError(t, err)
+			if tt.wantErr {
+				assert.Equal(t, "SilentError", err.Error())
+			} else {
+				assert.NoError(t, err)
+			}
 
 			assert.Equal(t, tt.wantOut, stdout.String())
 			reg.Verify(t)