diff --git a/libs/ardour/ardour/export_handler.h b/libs/ardour/ardour/export_handler.h
index d270f4d82d..f7f9818544 100644
--- a/libs/ardour/ardour/export_handler.h
+++ b/libs/ardour/ardour/export_handler.h
@@ -109,7 +109,7 @@ class LIBARDOUR_API ExportHandler : public ExportElementFactory, public sigc::tr
 	bool add_export_config (ExportTimespanPtr timespan, ExportChannelConfigPtr channel_config,
 	                        ExportFormatSpecPtr format, ExportFilenamePtr filename,
 	                        BroadcastInfoPtr broadcast_info);
-	void do_export ();
+	int do_export ();
 
 	std::string get_cd_marker_filename(std::string filename, CDMarkerFormat format);
 
@@ -148,7 +148,7 @@ class LIBARDOUR_API ExportHandler : public ExportElementFactory, public sigc::tr
 
 	static void* start_timespan_bg (void*);
 
-	void start_timespan ();
+	int  start_timespan ();
 	int  process_timespan (samplecnt_t samples);
 	int  post_process ();
 	void finish_timespan ();
diff --git a/libs/ardour/export_handler.cc b/libs/ardour/export_handler.cc
index 4e365bd431..759a5544d9 100644
--- a/libs/ardour/export_handler.cc
+++ b/libs/ardour/export_handler.cc
@@ -138,7 +138,7 @@ ExportHandler::add_export_config (ExportTimespanPtr timespan, ExportChannelConfi
 	return true;
 }
 
-void
+int
 ExportHandler::do_export ()
 {
 	/* Count timespans */
@@ -164,10 +164,10 @@ ExportHandler::do_export ()
 	/* Start export */
 
 	Glib::Threads::Mutex::Lock l (export_status->lock());
-	start_timespan ();
+	return start_timespan ();
 }
 
-void
+int
 ExportHandler::start_timespan ()
 {
 	export_status->timespan++;
@@ -183,7 +183,7 @@ ExportHandler::start_timespan ()
 	if (config_map.empty()) {
 		// freewheeling has to be stopped from outside the process cycle
 		export_status->set_running (false);
-		return;
+		return -1;
 	}
 
 	/* finish_timespan pops the config_map entry that has been done, so
@@ -227,7 +227,7 @@ ExportHandler::start_timespan ()
 	session.ProcessExport.connect_same_thread (process_connection, boost::bind (&ExportHandler::process, this, _1));
 	process_position = current_timespan->get_start();
 	// TODO check if it's a RegionExport.. set flag to skip  process_without_events()
-	session.start_audio_export (process_position, realtime, region_export);
+	return session.start_audio_export (process_position, realtime, region_export);
 }
 
 void
diff --git a/session_utils/export.cc b/session_utils/export.cc
index bc9307703c..0ed19b264c 100644
--- a/session_utils/export.cc
+++ b/session_utils/export.cc
@@ -178,7 +178,10 @@ static int export_session (Session *session,
 	/* do audio export */
 	fmp->set_soundcloud_upload(false);
 	session->get_export_handler()->add_export_config (tsp, ccp, fmp, fnp, b);
-	session->get_export_handler()->do_export();
+
+	if (0 != session->get_export_handler()->do_export()) {
+		return -1;
+	}
 
 	boost::shared_ptr<ARDOUR::ExportStatus> status = session->get_export_status ();