diff --git a/src/command/builtins.rs b/src/command/builtins.rs
index 48dc08d..848daa0 100644
--- a/src/command/builtins.rs
+++ b/src/command/builtins.rs
@@ -5,7 +5,7 @@ use crate::exit_code::ExitCode;
 use std::env;
 use std::{env::set_current_dir, path::PathBuf};
 
-pub(super) fn cd(args: &Vec<String>) -> ExitCode {
+pub(super) fn cd(args: &Vec<String>, exit_code: &mut ExitCode) {
     let path: Option<PathBuf>;
 
     if !args.is_empty() {
@@ -17,7 +17,7 @@ pub(super) fn cd(args: &Vec<String>) -> ExitCode {
         };
     }
 
-    let mut exit_code = ExitCode::success();
+    exit_code.set_success();
     if path.is_some() {
         let path = path.unwrap();
         let result = set_current_dir(&path);
@@ -25,13 +25,11 @@ pub(super) fn cd(args: &Vec<String>) -> ExitCode {
         if result.is_err() {
             let error = CdError::new(&args[0]);
             error::print(Box::new(error));
-            exit_code = ExitCode::new(2);
+            exit_code.set(2);
         }
     }
-
-    exit_code
 }
 
-pub(super) fn colon(_args: &Vec<String>) -> ExitCode {
-    ExitCode::success()
+pub(super) fn colon(_args: &Vec<String>, exit_code: &mut ExitCode) {
+    exit_code.set_success();
 }
diff --git a/src/command/command_sequence.rs b/src/command/command_sequence.rs
index d8f49a4..083fbd0 100644
--- a/src/command/command_sequence.rs
+++ b/src/command/command_sequence.rs
@@ -34,17 +34,13 @@ impl CommandSequence {
 }
 
 impl Command for CommandSequence {
-    fn spawn(&mut self) -> ExitCode {
-        let mut exit_code = ExitCode::success();
-
+    fn spawn(&mut self, exit_code: &mut ExitCode) {
         if self.command.is_some() {
-            exit_code = self.command.as_mut().unwrap().spawn();
+            self.command.as_mut().unwrap().spawn(exit_code);
 
             if self.next_command.is_some() {
-                exit_code = self.next_command.as_mut().unwrap().spawn();
+                self.next_command.as_mut().unwrap().spawn(exit_code);
             }
         }
-
-        exit_code
     }
 }
diff --git a/src/command/mod.rs b/src/command/mod.rs
index 2d15b19..7e450ed 100644
--- a/src/command/mod.rs
+++ b/src/command/mod.rs
@@ -6,13 +6,13 @@ use crate::error;
 use crate::error::CommandNotFoundError;
 use crate::exit_code::ExitCode;
 
-type BuiltinFunction = fn(&Vec<String>) -> ExitCode;
+type BuiltinFunction = fn(&Vec<String>, &mut ExitCode);
 
 #[derive(Debug)]
 pub struct NoSuchBuiltinError;
 
 pub trait Command {
-    fn spawn(&mut self) -> ExitCode;
+    fn spawn(&mut self, exit_code: &mut ExitCode);
 }
 
 pub struct Builtin {
@@ -43,8 +43,8 @@ impl Builtin {
 }
 
 impl Command for Builtin {
-    fn spawn(&mut self) -> ExitCode {
-        (self.function)(&self.args)
+    fn spawn(&mut self, exit_code: &mut ExitCode) {
+        (self.function)(&self.args, exit_code)
     }
 }
 
@@ -64,27 +64,25 @@ impl UnixProgram {
 }
 
 impl Command for UnixProgram {
-    fn spawn(&mut self) -> ExitCode {
+    fn spawn(&mut self, exit_code: &mut ExitCode) {
         let handle = self.command.spawn();
 
         if handle.is_ok() {
-            let exit_code = handle
+            let raw_exit_code = handle
                 .unwrap()
                 .wait()
                 .expect("error waiting for the child")
                 .code()
                 .unwrap_or(1);
 
-            let exit_code = match u8::try_from(exit_code) {
-                Ok(code) => ExitCode::new(code),
-                Err(_e) => ExitCode::new(u8::MAX),
-            };
-
-            exit_code
+            exit_code.set(match u8::try_from(raw_exit_code) {
+                Ok(code) => code,
+                Err(_e) => u8::MAX,
+            });
         } else {
             let error = CommandNotFoundError::new(self.command.get_program().to_str().unwrap());
             error::print(Box::new(error));
-            ExitCode::not_found()
+            exit_code.set_command_not_found();
         }
     }
 }
diff --git a/src/control.rs b/src/control.rs
index 01cbbba..22107d8 100644
--- a/src/control.rs
+++ b/src/control.rs
@@ -21,7 +21,7 @@ pub fn run() {
             let mut command_sequence = parse(user_input.unwrap(), &variables);
 
             if !command_sequence.is_empty() {
-                current_exit_code = command_sequence.spawn();
+                command_sequence.spawn(&mut current_exit_code);
             }
         } else {
             println!();
diff --git a/src/exit_code.rs b/src/exit_code.rs
index 54f6501..79af0c3 100644
--- a/src/exit_code.rs
+++ b/src/exit_code.rs
@@ -11,11 +11,15 @@ impl ExitCode {
         self.exit_code
     }
 
-    pub fn not_found() -> Self {
-        Self { exit_code: 127 }
+    pub fn set(&mut self, new_code: u8) {
+        self.exit_code = new_code;
     }
 
-    pub fn success() -> Self {
-        Self { exit_code: 0 }
+    pub fn set_success(&mut self) {
+        self.exit_code = 0;
+    }
+
+    pub fn set_command_not_found(&mut self) {
+        self.exit_code = 127;
     }
 }