diff --git a/cmd/coconut.go b/cmd/coconut.go
index 296ef3c7b..91c8385fa 100644
--- a/cmd/coconut.go
+++ b/cmd/coconut.go
@@ -4,10 +4,15 @@ package cmd
 
 import (
 	"flag"
+	"fmt"
+	"os"
 	"strconv"
 
 	"github.com/golang/glog"
 	"github.com/spf13/cobra"
+
+	"github.com/pulumi/coconut/pkg/compiler/core"
+	"github.com/pulumi/coconut/pkg/diag"
 )
 
 func NewCoconutCmd() *cobra.Command {
@@ -45,3 +50,27 @@ func NewCoconutCmd() *cobra.Command {
 
 	return cmd
 }
+
+var snk diag.Sink
+
+// sink lazily allocates a sink to be used if we can't create a compiler.
+func sink() diag.Sink {
+	if snk == nil {
+		snk = core.DefaultSink("")
+	}
+	return snk
+}
+
+// exitErrorPrefix is auto-appended to any abrupt command exit.
+const exitErrorPrefix = "fatal: "
+
+// exitError issues an error and exits with a standard error exit code.
+func exitError(msg string, args ...interface{}) {
+	exitErrorCode(-1, msg, args...)
+}
+
+// exitErrorCode issues an error and exists with the given error exit code.
+func exitErrorCode(code int, msg string, args ...interface{}) {
+	sink().Errorf(diag.Message(exitErrorPrefix + fmt.Sprintf(msg, args...)))
+	os.Exit(code)
+}
diff --git a/cmd/describe.go b/cmd/describe.go
index 0ae3d6313..713ccd3f6 100644
--- a/cmd/describe.go
+++ b/cmd/describe.go
@@ -42,8 +42,7 @@ func newDescribeCmd() *cobra.Command {
 				pwd, _ := os.Getwd()
 				pkgpath, err := workspace.DetectPackage(pwd, sink())
 				if err != nil {
-					fmt.Fprintf(os.Stderr, "fatal: could not find a nut: %v", err)
-					os.Exit(-1)
+					exitError("could not locate a nut to load: %v", err)
 				}
 
 				if pkg := cmdutil.ReadPackage(pkgpath); pkg != nil {
diff --git a/cmd/eval.go b/cmd/eval.go
index d3a7bc802..ce4b354d7 100644
--- a/cmd/eval.go
+++ b/cmd/eval.go
@@ -38,8 +38,7 @@ func newEvalCmd() *cobra.Command {
 				if dotOutput {
 					// Convert the output to a DOT file.
 					if err := dotconv.Print(g, os.Stdout); err != nil {
-						fmt.Fprintf(os.Stderr, "error: failed to write DOT file to output: %v\n", err)
-						os.Exit(-1)
+						exitError("failed to write DOT file to output: %v", err)
 					}
 				} else {
 					// Just print a very basic, yet (hopefully) aesthetically pleasinge, ascii-ization of the graph.
diff --git a/cmd/husk.go b/cmd/husk.go
index 28edf2dd7..e50942c64 100644
--- a/cmd/husk.go
+++ b/cmd/husk.go
@@ -53,23 +53,13 @@ func newHuskCmd() *cobra.Command {
 	return cmd
 }
 
-var snk diag.Sink
-
-// sink lazily allocates a sink to be used if we can't create a compiler.
-func sink() diag.Sink {
-	if snk == nil {
-		snk = core.DefaultSink("")
-	}
-	return snk
-}
-
-func initHuskCmd(cmd *cobra.Command, args []string) (*huskCmdInfo, error) {
+func initHuskCmd(cmd *cobra.Command, args []string) *huskCmdInfo {
 	// Create a new context for the plan operations.
 	ctx := resource.NewContext(sink())
 
 	// Read in the name of the husk to use.
 	if len(args) == 0 {
-		return nil, fmt.Errorf("missing required husk name")
+		exitError("missing required husk name")
 	}
 
 	// Read in the deployment information, bailing if an IO error occurs.
@@ -77,7 +67,7 @@ func initHuskCmd(cmd *cobra.Command, args []string) (*huskCmdInfo, error) {
 	huskfile, husk, old := readHusk(ctx, name)
 	if husk == nil {
 		contract.Assert(!ctx.Diag.Success())
-		return nil, fmt.Errorf("failed to read huskfile") // failure reading the husk information.
+		exitError("could not read huskfile required to proceed") // failure reading the husk information.
 	}
 	return &huskCmdInfo{
 		Ctx:      ctx,
@@ -86,7 +76,7 @@ func initHuskCmd(cmd *cobra.Command, args []string) (*huskCmdInfo, error) {
 		Old:      old,
 		Args:     args[1:],
 		Orig:     args,
-	}, nil
+	}
 }
 
 type huskCmdInfo struct {
diff --git a/cmd/husk_deploy.go b/cmd/husk_deploy.go
index 09f67483c..d3bcd8e1e 100644
--- a/cmd/husk_deploy.go
+++ b/cmd/husk_deploy.go
@@ -26,11 +26,8 @@ func newHuskDeployCmd() *cobra.Command {
 			"\n" +
 			"By default, the Nut to execute is loaded from the current directory.  Optionally, an\n" +
 			"explicit path can be provided using the [nut-file] argument.",
-		RunE: func(cmd *cobra.Command, args []string) error {
-			info, err := initHuskCmd(cmd, args)
-			if err != nil {
-				return err
-			}
+		Run: func(cmd *cobra.Command, args []string) {
+			info := initHuskCmd(cmd, args)
 			apply(cmd, info, applyOptions{
 				Delete:        false,
 				DryRun:        dryRun,
@@ -39,7 +36,6 @@ func newHuskDeployCmd() *cobra.Command {
 				Summary:       summary,
 				Output:        output,
 			})
-			return nil
 		},
 	}
 
diff --git a/cmd/husk_destroy.go b/cmd/husk_destroy.go
index cc67c7784..056c39791 100644
--- a/cmd/husk_destroy.go
+++ b/cmd/husk_destroy.go
@@ -21,11 +21,8 @@ func newHuskDestroyCmd() *cobra.Command {
 			"\n" +
 			"Warning: although old snapshots can be used to recreate an environment, this command\n" +
 			"is generally irreversable and should be used with great care.",
-		RunE: func(cmd *cobra.Command, args []string) error {
-			info, err := initHuskCmd(cmd, args)
-			if err != nil {
-				return err
-			}
+		Run: func(cmd *cobra.Command, args []string) {
+			info := initHuskCmd(cmd, args)
 			if dryRun || yes ||
 				confirmPrompt("This will permanently destroy all resources in the '%v' husk!", info.Husk.Name) {
 				apply(cmd, info, applyOptions{
@@ -34,7 +31,6 @@ func newHuskDestroyCmd() *cobra.Command {
 					Summary: summary,
 				})
 			}
-			return nil
 		},
 	}
 
diff --git a/cmd/husk_init.go b/cmd/husk_init.go
index e62b01d86..9b621a37a 100644
--- a/cmd/husk_init.go
+++ b/cmd/husk_init.go
@@ -3,9 +3,6 @@
 package cmd
 
 import (
-	"fmt"
-	"os"
-
 	"github.com/spf13/cobra"
 
 	"github.com/pulumi/coconut/pkg/tokens"
@@ -22,8 +19,7 @@ func newHuskInitCmd() *cobra.Command {
 		Run: func(cmd *cobra.Command, args []string) {
 			// Read in the name of the husk to use.
 			if len(args) == 0 {
-				fmt.Fprintf(os.Stderr, "fatal: missing required husk name\n")
-				os.Exit(-1)
+				exitError("missing required husk name")
 			}
 
 			husk := tokens.QName(args[0])
diff --git a/cmd/husk_ls.go b/cmd/husk_ls.go
index 8fc227ad2..12fa22148 100644
--- a/cmd/husk_ls.go
+++ b/cmd/husk_ls.go
@@ -27,8 +27,7 @@ func newHuskLsCmd() *cobra.Command {
 			path := workspace.HuskPath("")
 			files, err := ioutil.ReadDir(path)
 			if err != nil && !os.IsNotExist(err) {
-				fmt.Fprintf(os.Stderr, "fatal: could not read husks: %v\n", err)
-				os.Exit(-1)
+				exitError("could not read husks: %v", err)
 			}
 
 			fmt.Printf("%-20s %-48s %-12s\n", "NAME", "LAST DEPLOYMENT", "RESOURCE COUNT")
diff --git a/cmd/husk_rm.go b/cmd/husk_rm.go
index cb521c3be..c0fedcc85 100644
--- a/cmd/husk_rm.go
+++ b/cmd/husk_rm.go
@@ -3,8 +3,6 @@
 package cmd
 
 import (
-	"fmt"
-
 	"github.com/spf13/cobra"
 )
 
@@ -20,20 +18,16 @@ func newHuskRmCmd() *cobra.Command {
 			"`destroy` command for removing a husk's resources, as it is a distinct operation.\n" +
 			"\n" +
 			"After this command completes, the husk will no longer be available for deployments.",
-		RunE: func(cmd *cobra.Command, args []string) error {
-			info, err := initHuskCmd(cmd, args)
-			if err != nil {
-				return err
-			}
+		Run: func(cmd *cobra.Command, args []string) {
+			info := initHuskCmd(cmd, args)
 			if !force && info.Old != nil && len(info.Old.Resources()) > 0 {
-				return fmt.Errorf(
-					"Husk '%v' still has resources; removal rejected; pass --force to override\n", info.Husk.Name)
+				exitError(
+					"'%v' still has resources; removal rejected; pass --force to override", info.Husk.Name)
 			}
 			if yes ||
 				confirmPrompt("This will permanently remove the '%v' husk!", info.Husk.Name) {
 				remove(info.Husk)
 			}
-			return nil
 		},
 	}
 
diff --git a/cmd/verify.go b/cmd/verify.go
index 9dba757eb..9048a4815 100644
--- a/cmd/verify.go
+++ b/cmd/verify.go
@@ -3,9 +3,6 @@
 package cmd
 
 import (
-	"fmt"
-	"os"
-
 	"github.com/spf13/cobra"
 )
 
@@ -25,8 +22,7 @@ func newVerifyCmd() *cobra.Command {
 		Run: func(cmd *cobra.Command, args []string) {
 			// Create a compiler object and perform the verification.
 			if !verify(cmd, args) {
-				fmt.Printf("fatal: Nut verification failed\n")
-				os.Exit(-1)
+				exitError("Nut verification failed")
 			}
 		},
 	}