diff --git a/pkgs/build-support/bintools-wrapper/macos-sierra-reexport-hack.bash b/pkgs/build-support/bintools-wrapper/macos-sierra-reexport-hack.bash
index 71b9471cbc83..255071adf681 100644
--- a/pkgs/build-support/bintools-wrapper/macos-sierra-reexport-hack.bash
+++ b/pkgs/build-support/bintools-wrapper/macos-sierra-reexport-hack.bash
@@ -136,7 +136,7 @@ while (( "${#norm[@]}" )); do
                 norm=("${norm[@]:1}")
             else
                 echo "ld-wrapper: Internal Error: Invalid normalized argument" >&2
-                exit -1
+                exit 255
             fi
             ;;
     esac