diff --git a/pgloader.py b/pgloader.py
index 494e57d..1d70831 100755
--- a/pgloader.py
+++ b/pgloader.py
@@ -771,6 +771,12 @@ def load_data():
 if __name__ == "__main__":
     try:
         ret = load_data()
+
+    # SystemExit inherits from Exception in python < 2.5, so we have to
+    # handle it separately.
+    except SystemExit, e:
+	sys.exit(e.code)
+
     except Exception, e:
         from pgloader.options import DEBUG
         if DEBUG: