diff --git a/cmd/gh/main.go b/cmd/gh/main.go
index 2e9614a79..05c2f27bc 100644
--- a/cmd/gh/main.go
+++ b/cmd/gh/main.go
@@ -6,6 +6,7 @@ import (
 	"io"
 	"net"
 	"os"
+	"os/exec"
 	"path"
 	"strings"
 
@@ -49,7 +50,11 @@ func main() {
 		if isShell {
 			err = command.ExecuteShellAlias(expandedArgs)
 			if err != nil {
-				fmt.Fprintf(stderr, "failed to run alias %q: %s\n", expandedArgs, err)
+				if ee, ok := err.(*exec.ExitError); ok {
+					os.Exit(ee.ExitCode())
+				}
+
+				fmt.Fprintf(stderr, "failed to run external command: %s", err)
 				os.Exit(3)
 			}
 
diff --git a/command/root.go b/command/root.go
index 2b3aa6a4d..ddd4d9834 100644
--- a/command/root.go
+++ b/command/root.go
@@ -374,12 +374,7 @@ func ExecuteShellAlias(args []string) error {
 	externalCmd.Stdin = os.Stdin
 	preparedCmd := run.PrepareCmd(externalCmd)
 
-	err := preparedCmd.Run()
-	if err != nil {
-		return fmt.Errorf("failed to run external command: %w", err)
-	}
-
-	return nil
+	return preparedCmd.Run()
 }
 
 func findSh() (string, error) {