diff --git a/src/scriptworker/task.py b/src/scriptworker/task.py
index b6ed3c68..06ca108c 100644
--- a/src/scriptworker/task.py
+++ b/src/scriptworker/task.py
@@ -636,7 +636,7 @@ async def run_task(context, to_cancellable_process):
         to_cancellable_process (types.Callable): tracks the process so that it can be stopped if the worker is shut down
 
     Returns:
-        int: 1 on failure, 0 on success
+        int: >= 1 on failure, 0 on success
 
     """
     env = deepcopy(os.environ)
@@ -668,6 +668,8 @@ async def run_task(context, to_cancellable_process):
             status_line = "exit code: {}".format(exitcode)
             if exitcode < 0:
                 status_line = "Automation Error: python exited with signal {}".format(exitcode)
+                # we must return a value > 0 to signal an error
+                exitcode = 1
             log.info(status_line)
             print(status_line, file=log_filehandle)
             stopped_due_to_worker_shutdown = context.proc.stopped_due_to_worker_shutdown
diff --git a/tests/__init__.py b/tests/__init__.py
index e402a4bd..13f22a16 100644
--- a/tests/__init__.py
+++ b/tests/__init__.py
@@ -28,6 +28,7 @@
 }
 
 TIMEOUT_SCRIPT = os.path.join(os.path.dirname(__file__), "data", "long_running.py")
+KILLED_SCRIPT = os.path.join(os.path.dirname(__file__), "data", "killed.py")
 AT_LEAST_PY38 = sys.version_info >= (3, 8)
 
 
diff --git a/tests/data/killed.py b/tests/data/killed.py
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..8d4609cf
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/data/killed.py
@@ -0,0 +1,6 @@
+#!/usr/bin/python3
+
+import os
+import signal
+
+os.kill(0, signal.SIGKILL)
diff --git a/tests/test_worker.py b/tests/test_worker.py
index 9b9e5e54..0859c5a1 100644
--- a/tests/test_worker.py
+++ b/tests/test_worker.py
@@ -20,7 +20,7 @@
 from scriptworker.exceptions import ScriptWorkerException, WorkerShutdownDuringTask
 from scriptworker.worker import RunTasks, do_run_task
 
-from . import AT_LEAST_PY38, TIMEOUT_SCRIPT, create_async, create_finished_future, create_slow_async, create_sync, noop_async, noop_sync
+from . import AT_LEAST_PY38, KILLED_SCRIPT, TIMEOUT_SCRIPT, create_async, create_finished_future, create_slow_async, create_sync, noop_async, noop_sync
 
 
 # constants helpers and fixtures {{{1
@@ -266,6 +266,27 @@ async def claim_work(*args, **kwargs):
     assert status == context.config["task_max_timeout_status"]
 
 
+@pytest.mark.asyncio
+async def test_run_tasks_killed(context, successful_queue, mocker):
+    temp_dir = os.path.join(context.config["work_dir"], "killed")
+    task = {"foo": "bar", "credentials": {"a": "b"}, "task": {"task_defn": True}}
+    context.config["task_script"] = (sys.executable, KILLED_SCRIPT, temp_dir)
+    context.config["task_max_timeout"] = 1
+    context.queue = successful_queue
+
+    async def claim_work(*args, **kwargs):
+        return {"tasks": [task]}
+
+    mocker.patch.object(worker, "claim_work", new=claim_work)
+    mocker.patch.object(worker, "reclaim_task", new=noop_async)
+    mocker.patch.object(worker, "generate_cot", new=noop_sync)
+    mocker.patch.object(worker, "prepare_to_run_task", new=noop_sync)
+    mocker.patch.object(worker, "upload_artifacts", new=noop_async)
+    mocker.patch.object(worker, "complete_task", new=noop_async)
+    status = await worker.run_tasks(context)
+    assert status == STATUSES["failure"]
+
+
 _MOCK_CLAIM_WORK_RETURN = {
     "tasks": [
         {