diff --git a/shadowsocks-go b/shadowsocks-go
index 368a9e96..5724f8d5 100644
--- a/shadowsocks-go
+++ b/shadowsocks-go
@@ -37,13 +37,13 @@ if [ ! -d $PID_DIR ]; then
     mkdir -p $PID_DIR
     if [ $? -ne 0 ]; then
         echo "Creating PID directory $PID_DIR failed"
-        RET_VAL=1
+        exit 1
     fi
 fi
 
 if [ ! -f $CONF ]; then
     echo "$NAME config file $CONF not found"
-    RET_VAL=1
+    exit 1
 fi
 
 check_running() {
diff --git a/shadowsocks-go-debian b/shadowsocks-go-debian
index 18826fe0..5e140f8b 100644
--- a/shadowsocks-go-debian
+++ b/shadowsocks-go-debian
@@ -29,13 +29,13 @@ if [ ! -d $PID_DIR ]; then
     mkdir -p $PID_DIR
     if [ $? -ne 0 ]; then
         echo "Creating PID directory $PID_DIR failed"
-        RET_VAL=1
+        exit 1
     fi
 fi
 
 if [ ! -f $CONF ]; then
     echo "$NAME config file $CONF not found"
-    RET_VAL=1
+    exit 1
 fi
 
 check_running() {
diff --git a/shadowsocks-libev b/shadowsocks-libev
index d6425603..a0a062d8 100644
--- a/shadowsocks-libev
+++ b/shadowsocks-libev
@@ -30,13 +30,13 @@ if [ ! -d $PID_DIR ]; then
     mkdir -p $PID_DIR
     if [ $? -ne 0 ]; then
         echo "Creating PID directory $PID_DIR failed"
-        RET_VAL=1
+        exit 1
     fi
 fi
 
 if [ ! -f $CONF ]; then
     echo "$NAME config file $CONF not found"
-    RET_VAL=1
+     exit 1
 fi
 
 check_running() {
diff --git a/shadowsocks-libev-debian b/shadowsocks-libev-debian
index 6be74a99..f6360f84 100644
--- a/shadowsocks-libev-debian
+++ b/shadowsocks-libev-debian
@@ -29,13 +29,13 @@ if [ ! -d $PID_DIR ]; then
     mkdir -p $PID_DIR
     if [ $? -ne 0 ]; then
         echo "Creating PID directory $PID_DIR failed"
-        RET_VAL=1
+        exit 1
     fi
 fi
 
 if [ ! -f $CONF ]; then
     echo "$NAME config file $CONF not found"
-    RET_VAL=1
+    exit 1
 fi
 
 check_running() {
diff --git a/shadowsocks-manager b/shadowsocks-manager
index afcfc1ac..12b9c1b4 100644
--- a/shadowsocks-manager
+++ b/shadowsocks-manager
@@ -43,13 +43,13 @@ if [ ! -d $PID_DIR ]; then
     mkdir -p $PID_DIR
     if [ $? -ne 0 ]; then
         echo "Creating PID directory $PID_DIR failed"
-        RET_VAL=1
+        exit 1
     fi
 fi
 
 if [ ! -f $CONF ]; then
     echo "$NAME config file $CONF not found"
-    RET_VAL=1
+    exit 1
 fi
 
 check_running() {