diff --git a/lib/cppcheck.cpp b/lib/cppcheck.cpp
index fcf01fc0ac2..7cc42b6a54c 100644
--- a/lib/cppcheck.cpp
+++ b/lib/cppcheck.cpp
@@ -933,8 +933,6 @@ unsigned int CppCheck::checkFile(const std::string& filename, const std::string
 
                 if (!hasValidConfig && currCfg == *configurations.rbegin()) {
                     // If there is no valid configuration then report error..
-                    mExitCode = 1;
-
                     std::string file = Path::fromNativeSeparators(o.location.file());
                     if (mSettings.relativePaths)
                         file = Path::getRelativePath(file, mSettings.basePaths);
diff --git a/test/cli/test-other.py b/test/cli/test-other.py
index f89c63b630f..fcdf7539295 100644
--- a/test/cli/test-other.py
+++ b/test/cli/test-other.py
@@ -75,8 +75,9 @@ def test_preprocessor_error(tmpdir):
     test_file = os.path.join(tmpdir, '10866.c')
     with open(test_file, 'wt') as f:
         f.write('#error test\nx=1;\n')
-    _, _, stderr = cppcheck([test_file])
+    exitcode, _, stderr = cppcheck(['--error-exitcode=1', test_file])
     assert 'preprocessorErrorDirective' in stderr
+    assert exitcode != 0
 
 
 def test_invalid_library(tmpdir):