diff --git a/src/crystal/main.cr b/src/crystal/main.cr
index c8cb12834b9a..4c88b50b9660 100644
--- a/src/crystal/main.cr
+++ b/src/crystal/main.cr
@@ -56,8 +56,7 @@ module Crystal
         1
       end
 
-    new_status = AtExitHandlers.run status
-    status = {new_status, status}.max
+    status = AtExitHandlers.run status
 
     ex.inspect_with_backtrace STDERR if ex
     STDOUT.flush
diff --git a/src/kernel.cr b/src/kernel.cr
index f6255f75abe3..e7a1496879cf 100644
--- a/src/kernel.cr
+++ b/src/kernel.cr
@@ -181,8 +181,7 @@ def exit(status = 0) : NoReturn
     raise NestedExitError.new status
   end
 
-  new_status = AtExitHandlers.run status
-  status = {status, new_status}.max
+  status = AtExitHandlers.run status
   STDOUT.flush
   STDERR.flush
   Process.exit(status)