diff --git a/markdown_it/cli/parse.py b/markdown_it/cli/parse.py
index 32374d31..59c2f826 100644
--- a/markdown_it/cli/parse.py
+++ b/markdown_it/cli/parse.py
@@ -20,7 +20,8 @@ def main(args=None):
         convert(namespace.filenames)
     else:
         interactive()
-    return True
+    RET_OK = 0
+    return RET_OK
 
 
 def convert(filenames):
diff --git a/tests/test_cli.py b/tests/test_cli.py
index 191ea0fb..75942442 100644
--- a/tests/test_cli.py
+++ b/tests/test_cli.py
@@ -2,6 +2,8 @@
 import tempfile
 from unittest.mock import patch
 
+import pytest
+
 from markdown_it.cli import parse
 
 
@@ -9,7 +11,13 @@ def test_parse():
     with tempfile.TemporaryDirectory() as tempdir:
         path = pathlib.Path(tempdir).joinpath("test.md")
         path.write_text("a b c")
-        assert parse.main([str(path)])
+        assert parse.main([str(path)]) == 0
+
+
+def test_parse_fail():
+    with pytest.raises(SystemExit) as exc_info:
+        parse.main(["/tmp/nonexistant_path/for_cli_test.md"])
+    assert exc_info.value.code == 1
 
 
 def test_print_heading():