diff --git a/cmd/gh/main.go b/cmd/gh/main.go
index a0eba09a5..adfa28f90 100644
--- a/cmd/gh/main.go
+++ b/cmd/gh/main.go
@@ -148,6 +148,12 @@ func main() {
 	rootCmd.SetArgs(expandedArgs)
 
 	if cmd, err := rootCmd.ExecuteC(); err != nil {
+		if err == cmdutil.SilentError {
+			os.Exit(1)
+		} else if cmdutil.IsUserCancellation(err) {
+			os.Exit(2)
+		}
+
 		printError(stderr, err, cmd, hasDebug)
 
 		var httpErr api.HTTPError
@@ -177,10 +183,6 @@ func main() {
 }
 
 func printError(out io.Writer, err error, cmd *cobra.Command, debug bool) {
-	if err == cmdutil.SilentError {
-		return
-	}
-
 	var dnsError *net.DNSError
 	if errors.As(err, &dnsError) {
 		fmt.Fprintf(out, "error connecting to %s\n", dnsError.Name)
diff --git a/pkg/cmd/gist/edit/edit.go b/pkg/cmd/gist/edit/edit.go
index 7cba14800..3c16f1a16 100644
--- a/pkg/cmd/gist/edit/edit.go
+++ b/pkg/cmd/gist/edit/edit.go
@@ -177,7 +177,7 @@ func editRun(opts *EditOptions) error {
 		case "Submit":
 			stop = true
 		case "Cancel":
-			return cmdutil.SilentError
+			return cmdutil.CancelError
 		}
 
 		if stop {
diff --git a/pkg/cmd/issue/create/create.go b/pkg/cmd/issue/create/create.go
index 3d6b5b25c..0bd8dabc9 100644
--- a/pkg/cmd/issue/create/create.go
+++ b/pkg/cmd/issue/create/create.go
@@ -249,7 +249,7 @@ func createRun(opts *CreateOptions) (err error) {
 
 		if action == prShared.CancelAction {
 			fmt.Fprintln(opts.IO.ErrOut, "Discarding.")
-			err = cmdutil.SilentError
+			err = cmdutil.CancelError
 			return
 		}
 	} else {
diff --git a/pkg/cmd/pr/create/create.go b/pkg/cmd/pr/create/create.go
index 18b8c1e99..2dc7045ff 100644
--- a/pkg/cmd/pr/create/create.go
+++ b/pkg/cmd/pr/create/create.go
@@ -299,7 +299,7 @@ func createRun(opts *CreateOptions) (err error) {
 
 	if action == shared.CancelAction {
 		fmt.Fprintln(opts.IO.ErrOut, "Discarding.")
-		err = cmdutil.SilentError
+		err = cmdutil.CancelError
 		return
 	}
 
@@ -542,7 +542,7 @@ func NewCreateContext(opts *CreateOptions) (*CreateContext, error) {
 		} else if pushOptions[selectedOption] == "Skip pushing the branch" {
 			isPushEnabled = false
 		} else if pushOptions[selectedOption] == "Cancel" {
-			return nil, cmdutil.SilentError
+			return nil, cmdutil.CancelError
 		} else {
 			// "Create a fork of ..."
 			if baseRepo.IsPrivate {
diff --git a/pkg/cmd/pr/merge/merge.go b/pkg/cmd/pr/merge/merge.go
index 67498b726..5981b330f 100644
--- a/pkg/cmd/pr/merge/merge.go
+++ b/pkg/cmd/pr/merge/merge.go
@@ -228,7 +228,7 @@ func mergeRun(opts *MergeOptions) error {
 			}
 			if action == shared.CancelAction {
 				fmt.Fprintln(opts.IO.ErrOut, "Cancelled.")
-				return cmdutil.SilentError
+				return cmdutil.CancelError
 			}
 		}
 
diff --git a/pkg/cmd/pr/shared/preserve.go b/pkg/cmd/pr/shared/preserve.go
index 44b8fa183..6d3c32965 100644
--- a/pkg/cmd/pr/shared/preserve.go
+++ b/pkg/cmd/pr/shared/preserve.go
@@ -2,11 +2,9 @@ package shared
 
 import (
 	"encoding/json"
-	"errors"
 	"fmt"
 	"os"
 
-	"github.com/AlecAivazis/survey/v2/terminal"
 	"github.com/cli/cli/pkg/cmdutil"
 	"github.com/cli/cli/pkg/iostreams"
 )
@@ -21,7 +19,7 @@ func PreserveInput(io *iostreams.IOStreams, state *IssueMetadataState, createErr
 			return
 		}
 
-		if errors.Is(*createErr, cmdutil.SilentError) || errors.Is(*createErr, terminal.InterruptErr) {
+		if cmdutil.IsUserCancellation(*createErr) {
 			// these errors are user-initiated cancellations
 			return
 		}
diff --git a/pkg/cmd/release/create/create.go b/pkg/cmd/release/create/create.go
index 9b87b8845..fd94a511a 100644
--- a/pkg/cmd/release/create/create.go
+++ b/pkg/cmd/release/create/create.go
@@ -262,7 +262,7 @@ func createRun(opts *CreateOptions) error {
 		case "Save as draft":
 			opts.Draft = true
 		case "Cancel":
-			return cmdutil.SilentError
+			return cmdutil.CancelError
 		default:
 			return fmt.Errorf("invalid action: %v", opts.SubmitAction)
 		}
diff --git a/pkg/cmd/release/delete/delete.go b/pkg/cmd/release/delete/delete.go
index fde3fbcee..c880f9d58 100644
--- a/pkg/cmd/release/delete/delete.go
+++ b/pkg/cmd/release/delete/delete.go
@@ -78,7 +78,7 @@ func deleteRun(opts *DeleteOptions) error {
 		}
 
 		if !confirmed {
-			return cmdutil.SilentError
+			return cmdutil.CancelError
 		}
 	}
 
diff --git a/pkg/cmdutil/errors.go b/pkg/cmdutil/errors.go
index 77ca58340..aa33e98ef 100644
--- a/pkg/cmdutil/errors.go
+++ b/pkg/cmdutil/errors.go
@@ -1,6 +1,10 @@
 package cmdutil
 
-import "errors"
+import (
+	"errors"
+
+	"github.com/AlecAivazis/survey/v2/terminal"
+)
 
 // FlagError is the kind of error raised in flag processing
 type FlagError struct {
@@ -17,3 +21,10 @@ func (fe FlagError) Unwrap() error {
 
 // SilentError is an error that triggers exit code 1 without any error messaging
 var SilentError = errors.New("SilentError")
+
+// CancelError signals user-initiated cancellation
+var CancelError = errors.New("CancelError")
+
+func IsUserCancellation(err error) bool {
+	return errors.Is(err, CancelError) || errors.Is(err, terminal.InterruptErr)
+}