diff --git a/pkg/cmd/run/watch/watch.go b/pkg/cmd/run/watch/watch.go
index 70c7d7558..5b51b37ac 100644
--- a/pkg/cmd/run/watch/watch.go
+++ b/pkg/cmd/run/watch/watch.go
@@ -123,6 +123,9 @@ func watchRun(opts *WatchOptions) error {
 
 	if run.Status == shared.Completed {
 		fmt.Fprintf(out, "Run %s (%s) has already completed with '%s'\n", cs.Bold(run.Name), cs.Cyanf("%d", run.ID), run.Conclusion)
+		if opts.ExitStatus && run.Conclusion != shared.Success {
+			return cmdutil.SilentError
+		}
 		return nil
 	}
 
diff --git a/pkg/cmd/run/watch/watch_test.go b/pkg/cmd/run/watch/watch_test.go
index 4152aad52..8b02ea24d 100644
--- a/pkg/cmd/run/watch/watch_test.go
+++ b/pkg/cmd/run/watch/watch_test.go
@@ -190,6 +190,21 @@ func TestWatchRun(t *testing.T) {
 			},
 			wantOut: "Run failed (1234) has already completed with 'failure'\n",
 		},
+		{
+			name: "already completed, exit status",
+			opts: &WatchOptions{
+				RunID:      "1234",
+				ExitStatus: true,
+			},
+			httpStubs: func(reg *httpmock.Registry) {
+				reg.Register(
+					httpmock.REST("GET", "repos/OWNER/REPO/actions/runs/1234"),
+					httpmock.JSONResponse(shared.FailedRun))
+			},
+			wantOut: "Run failed (1234) has already completed with 'failure'\n",
+			wantErr: true,
+			errMsg:  "SilentError",
+		},
 		{
 			name: "prompt, no in progress runs",
 			tty:  true,
@@ -307,13 +322,8 @@ func TestWatchRun(t *testing.T) {
 		t.Run(tt.name, func(t *testing.T) {
 			err := watchRun(tt.opts)
 			if tt.wantErr {
-				assert.Error(t, err)
-				assert.Equal(t, tt.errMsg, err.Error())
-				if !tt.opts.ExitStatus {
-					return
-				}
-			}
-			if !tt.opts.ExitStatus {
+				assert.EqualError(t, err, tt.errMsg)
+			} else {
 				assert.NoError(t, err)
 			}
 			assert.Equal(t, tt.wantOut, stdout.String())