diff --git a/bin/qemush b/bin/qemush
index 9b56de2..6ffa161 100755
--- a/bin/qemush
+++ b/bin/qemush
@@ -66,9 +66,11 @@ error_usage() {
 # Function to start a virtual machine
 public_start() {
     QEMUSH_NAME="$1"
-    shift
 
-    "$QEMUSH_NAME" "$@" || perror "error launching virtual machine \"${QEMUSH_NAME}\""
+    if ! "$@"; then
+        perror "error launching virtual machine \"${QEMUSH_NAME}\""
+        return 2
+    fi
 }
 
 # Attach to a running virtual machine output, the latest opened if no