diff --git a/pressure-vessel-wrap b/pressure-vessel-wrap
index c75136ec73054a6b9f26a7b64294322fca4690ed..ebc8acb4ab3c9c180522d6b368f3c0934124fe95 100755
--- a/pressure-vessel-wrap
+++ b/pressure-vessel-wrap
@@ -351,5 +351,5 @@ if [ -n "$verbose" ]; then
 fi
 
 exec "$BWRAP" $bwrap_end_of_options "$@" || e=$?
-echo "$me: failed to execute '$BWRAP $*': exec status $?" >&2
-exit $?
+echo "$me: failed to execute '$BWRAP $*': exec status $e" >&2
+exit "$e"