diff --git a/scripts/devtool b/scripts/devtool
index fd4af9838a..fa799f6a06 100755
--- a/scripts/devtool
+++ b/scripts/devtool
@@ -35,6 +35,7 @@ context = None
 scripts_path = os.path.dirname(os.path.realpath(__file__))
 lib_path = scripts_path + '/lib'
 sys.path = sys.path + [lib_path]
+from devtool import DevtoolError
 import scriptutils
 logger = scriptutils.logger_create('devtool')
 
@@ -250,7 +251,12 @@ def main():
     if args.subparser_name != 'create-workspace':
         read_workspace()
 
-    ret = args.func(args, config, basepath, workspace)
+    try:
+        ret = args.func(args, config, basepath, workspace)
+    except DevtoolError as err:
+        if str(err):
+            logger.error(str(err))
+        ret = 1
 
     return ret
 
diff --git a/scripts/lib/devtool/__init__.py b/scripts/lib/devtool/__init__.py
index 9ec1ef6817..ea0b63e767 100644
--- a/scripts/lib/devtool/__init__.py
+++ b/scripts/lib/devtool/__init__.py
@@ -25,6 +25,12 @@ import logging
 
 logger = logging.getLogger('devtool')
 
+
+class DevtoolError(Exception):
+    """Exception for handling devtool errors"""
+    pass
+
+
 def exec_build_env_command(init_path, builddir, cmd, watch=False, **options):
     """Run a program in bitbake build context"""
     import bb
diff --git a/scripts/lib/devtool/deploy.py b/scripts/lib/devtool/deploy.py
index 92a3cb4cff..ca74a8e51d 100644
--- a/scripts/lib/devtool/deploy.py
+++ b/scripts/lib/devtool/deploy.py
@@ -19,7 +19,7 @@
 import os
 import subprocess
 import logging
-from devtool import exec_build_env_command, setup_tinfoil
+from devtool import exec_build_env_command, setup_tinfoil, DevtoolError
 
 logger = logging.getLogger('devtool')
 
@@ -34,8 +34,8 @@ def deploy(args, config, basepath, workspace):
     import oe.recipeutils
 
     if not args.recipename in workspace:
-        logger.error("no recipe named %s in your workspace" % args.recipename)
-        return -1
+        raise DevtoolError("no recipe named %s in your workspace" %
+                           args.recipename)
     try:
         host, destdir = args.target.split(':')
     except ValueError:
@@ -50,12 +50,13 @@ def deploy(args, config, basepath, workspace):
     try:
         rd = oe.recipeutils.parse_recipe_simple(tinfoil.cooker, args.recipename, tinfoil.config_data)
     except Exception as e:
-        logger.error('Exception parsing recipe %s: %s' % (args.recipename, e))
-        return 2
+        raise DevtoolError('Exception parsing recipe %s: %s' %
+                           (args.recipename, e))
     recipe_outdir = rd.getVar('D', True)
     if not os.path.exists(recipe_outdir) or not os.listdir(recipe_outdir):
-        logger.error('No files to deploy - have you built the %s recipe? If so, the install step has not installed any files.' % args.recipename)
-        return -1
+        raise DevtoolError('No files to deploy - have you built the %s '
+                           'recipe? If so, the install step has not installed '
+                           'any files.' % args.recipename)
 
     if args.dry_run:
         print('Files to be deployed for %s on target %s:' % (args.recipename, args.target))
@@ -67,7 +68,7 @@ def deploy(args, config, basepath, workspace):
     if os.path.exists(deploy_file):
         if undeploy(args, config, basepath, workspace):
             # Error already shown
-            return -1
+            return 1
 
     extraoptions = ''
     if args.no_host_check:
@@ -76,8 +77,8 @@ def deploy(args, config, basepath, workspace):
         extraoptions += ' -q'
     ret = subprocess.call('scp -r %s %s/* %s:%s' % (extraoptions, recipe_outdir, args.target, destdir), shell=True)
     if ret != 0:
-        logger.error('Deploy failed - rerun with -s to get a complete error message')
-        return ret
+        raise DevtoolError('Deploy failed - rerun with -s to get a complete '
+                           'error message')
 
     logger.info('Successfully deployed %s' % recipe_outdir)
 
@@ -99,8 +100,7 @@ def undeploy(args, config, basepath, workspace):
     """Entry point for the devtool 'undeploy' subcommand"""
     deploy_file = os.path.join(basepath, 'target_deploy', args.target, args.recipename + '.list')
     if not os.path.exists(deploy_file):
-        logger.error('%s has not been deployed' % args.recipename)
-        return -1
+        raise DevtoolError('%s has not been deployed' % args.recipename)
 
     if args.dry_run:
         print('Previously deployed files to be un-deployed for %s on target %s:' % (args.recipename, args.target))
@@ -117,15 +117,16 @@ def undeploy(args, config, basepath, workspace):
 
     ret = subprocess.call("scp %s %s %s:/tmp" % (extraoptions, deploy_file, args.target), shell=True)
     if ret != 0:
-        logger.error('Failed to copy file list to %s - rerun with -s to get a complete error message' % args.target)
-        return -1
+        raise DevtoolError('Failed to copy file list to %s - rerun with -s to '
+                           'get a complete error message' % args.target)
 
     ret = subprocess.call("ssh %s %s 'xargs -n1 rm -f </tmp/%s'" % (extraoptions, args.target, os.path.basename(deploy_file)), shell=True)
     if ret == 0:
         logger.info('Successfully undeployed %s' % args.recipename)
         os.remove(deploy_file)
     else:
-        logger.error('Undeploy failed - rerun with -s to get a complete error message')
+        raise DevtoolError('Undeploy failed - rerun with -s to get a complete '
+                           'error message')
 
     return ret
 
diff --git a/scripts/lib/devtool/standard.py b/scripts/lib/devtool/standard.py
index 14912a9454..4d3ff02be8 100644
--- a/scripts/lib/devtool/standard.py
+++ b/scripts/lib/devtool/standard.py
@@ -25,16 +25,11 @@ import logging
 import argparse
 import scriptutils
 import errno
-from devtool import exec_build_env_command, setup_tinfoil
+from devtool import exec_build_env_command, setup_tinfoil, DevtoolError
 
 logger = logging.getLogger('devtool')
 
 
-class DevtoolError(Exception):
-    """Exception for handling devtool errors"""
-    pass
-
-
 def plugin_init(pluginlist):
     """Plugin initialization"""
     pass
@@ -46,26 +41,27 @@ def add(args, config, basepath, workspace):
     import oe.recipeutils
 
     if args.recipename in workspace:
-        logger.error("recipe %s is already in your workspace" % args.recipename)
-        return -1
+        raise DevtoolError("recipe %s is already in your workspace" %
+                            args.recipename)
 
     reason = oe.recipeutils.validate_pn(args.recipename)
     if reason:
-        logger.error(reason)
-        return -1
+        raise DevtoolError(reason)
 
     srctree = os.path.abspath(args.srctree)
     if os.path.exists(srctree):
         if args.fetch:
             if not os.path.isdir(srctree):
-                logger.error("Cannot fetch into source tree path %s as it exists and is not a directory" % srctree)
-                return 1
+                raise DevtoolError("Cannot fetch into source tree path %s as "
+                                   "it exists and is not a directory" %
+                                   srctree)
             elif os.listdir(srctree):
-                logger.error("Cannot fetch into source tree path %s as it already exists and is non-empty" % srctree)
-                return 1
+                raise DevtoolError("Cannot fetch into source tree path %s as "
+                                   "it already exists and is non-empty" %
+                                   srctree)
     elif not args.fetch:
-        logger.error("Specified source tree %s could not be found" % srctree)
-        return 1
+        raise DevtoolError("Specified source tree %s could not be found" %
+                           srctree)
 
     appendpath = os.path.join(config.workspace_path, 'appends')
     if not os.path.exists(appendpath):
@@ -76,8 +72,7 @@ def add(args, config, basepath, workspace):
     rfv = None
     if args.version:
         if '_' in args.version or ' ' in args.version:
-            logger.error('Invalid version string "%s"' % args.version)
-            return -1
+            raise DevtoolError('Invalid version string "%s"' % args.version)
         rfv = args.version
     if args.fetch:
         if args.fetch.startswith('git://'):
@@ -107,8 +102,7 @@ def add(args, config, basepath, workspace):
         stdout, _ = exec_build_env_command(config.init_path, basepath, 'recipetool --color=%s create -o %s "%s" %s' % (color, recipefile, source, extracmdopts))
         logger.info('Recipe %s has been automatically created; further editing may be required to make it fully functional' % recipefile)
     except bb.process.ExecutionError as e:
-        logger.error('Command \'%s\' failed:\n%s' % (e.command, e.stdout))
-        return 1
+        raise DevtoolError('Command \'%s\' failed:\n%s' % (e.command, e.stdout))
 
     _add_md5(config, args.recipename, recipefile)
 
@@ -134,35 +128,33 @@ def add(args, config, basepath, workspace):
 def _check_compatible_recipe(pn, d):
     """Check if the recipe is supported by devtool"""
     if pn == 'perf':
-        logger.error("The perf recipe does not actually check out source and thus cannot be supported by this tool")
-        return False
+        raise DevtoolError("The perf recipe does not actually check out "
+                           "source and thus cannot be supported by this tool")
 
     if pn in ['kernel-devsrc', 'package-index'] or pn.startswith('gcc-source'):
-        logger.error("The %s recipe is not supported by this tool" % pn)
-        return False
+        raise DevtoolError("The %s recipe is not supported by this tool" % pn)
 
     if bb.data.inherits_class('image', d):
-        logger.error("The %s recipe is an image, and therefore is not supported by this tool" % pn)
-        return False
+        raise DevtoolError("The %s recipe is an image, and therefore is not "
+                           "supported by this tool" % pn)
 
     if bb.data.inherits_class('populate_sdk', d):
-        logger.error("The %s recipe is an SDK, and therefore is not supported by this tool" % pn)
-        return False
+        raise DevtoolError("The %s recipe is an SDK, and therefore is not "
+                           "supported by this tool" % pn)
 
     if bb.data.inherits_class('packagegroup', d):
-        logger.error("The %s recipe is a packagegroup, and therefore is not supported by this tool" % pn)
-        return False
+        raise DevtoolError("The %s recipe is a packagegroup, and therefore is "
+                           "not supported by this tool" % pn)
 
     if bb.data.inherits_class('meta', d):
-        logger.error("The %s recipe is a meta-recipe, and therefore is not supported by this tool" % pn)
-        return False
+        raise DevtoolError("The %s recipe is a meta-recipe, and therefore is "
+                           "not supported by this tool" % pn)
 
     if bb.data.inherits_class('externalsrc', d) and d.getVar('EXTERNALSRC', True):
-        logger.error("externalsrc is currently enabled for the %s recipe. This prevents the normal do_patch task from working. You will need to disable this first." % pn)
-        return False
-
-    return True
-
+        raise DevtoolError("externalsrc is currently enabled for the %s "
+                           "recipe. This prevents the normal do_patch task "
+                           "from working. You will need to disable this "
+                           "first." % pn)
 
 def _get_recipe_file(cooker, pn):
     """Find recipe file corresponding a package name"""
@@ -209,14 +201,14 @@ def extract(args, config, basepath, workspace):
 
     rd = _parse_recipe(config, tinfoil, args.recipename, True)
     if not rd:
-        return -1
+        return 1
 
     srctree = os.path.abspath(args.srctree)
     initial_rev = _extract_source(srctree, args.keep_temp, args.branch, rd)
     if initial_rev:
         return 0
     else:
-        return -1
+        return 1
 
 class BbTaskExecutor(object):
     """Class for executing bitbake tasks for a recipe
@@ -262,16 +254,15 @@ def _extract_source(srctree, keep_temp, devbranch, d):
 
     pn = d.getVar('PN', True)
 
-    if not _check_compatible_recipe(pn, d):
-        return None
+    _check_compatible_recipe(pn, d)
 
     if os.path.exists(srctree):
         if not os.path.isdir(srctree):
-            logger.error("output path %s exists and is not a directory" % srctree)
-            return None
+            raise DevtoolError("output path %s exists and is not a directory" %
+                               srctree)
         elif os.listdir(srctree):
-            logger.error("output path %s already exists and is non-empty" % srctree)
-            return None
+            raise DevtoolError("output path %s already exists and is "
+                               "non-empty" % srctree)
 
     # Prepare for shutil.move later on
     bb.utils.mkdirhier(srctree)
@@ -341,8 +332,8 @@ def _extract_source(srctree, keep_temp, devbranch, d):
             initial_rev = stdout.rstrip()
         else:
             if not os.listdir(srcsubdir):
-                logger.error("no source unpacked to S, perhaps the %s recipe doesn't use any source?" % pn)
-                return None
+                raise DevtoolError("no source unpacked to S, perhaps the %s "
+                                   "recipe doesn't use any source?" % pn)
 
             if not os.path.exists(os.path.join(srcsubdir, '.git')):
                 bb.process.run('git init', cwd=srcsubdir)
@@ -423,22 +414,22 @@ def modify(args, config, basepath, workspace):
     import oe.recipeutils
 
     if args.recipename in workspace:
-        logger.error("recipe %s is already in your workspace" % args.recipename)
-        return -1
+        raise DevtoolError("recipe %s is already in your workspace" %
+                           args.recipename)
 
     if not args.extract and not os.path.isdir(args.srctree):
-        logger.error("directory %s does not exist or not a directory (specify -x to extract source from recipe)" % args.srctree)
-        return -1
+        raise DevtoolError("directory %s does not exist or not a directory "
+                           "(specify -x to extract source from recipe)" %
+                           args.srctree)
 
     tinfoil = setup_tinfoil()
 
     rd = _parse_recipe(config, tinfoil, args.recipename, True)
     if not rd:
-        return -1
+        return 1
     recipefile = rd.getVar('FILE', True)
 
-    if not _check_compatible_recipe(args.recipename, rd):
-        return -1
+    _check_compatible_recipe(args.recipename, rd)
 
     initial_rev = None
     commits = []
@@ -446,7 +437,7 @@ def modify(args, config, basepath, workspace):
     if args.extract:
         initial_rev = _extract_source(args.srctree, False, args.branch, rd)
         if not initial_rev:
-            return -1
+            return 1
         # Get list of commits since this revision
         (stdout, _) = bb.process.run('git rev-list --reverse %s..HEAD' % initial_rev, cwd=args.srctree)
         commits = stdout.split()
@@ -758,22 +749,22 @@ def _update_recipe_patch(args, config, srctree, rd, config_data):
 def update_recipe(args, config, basepath, workspace):
     """Entry point for the devtool 'update-recipe' subcommand"""
     if not args.recipename in workspace:
-        logger.error("no recipe named %s in your workspace" % args.recipename)
-        return -1
+        raise DevtoolError("no recipe named %s in your workspace" %
+                           args.recipename)
 
     if args.append:
         if not os.path.exists(args.append):
-            logger.error('bbappend destination layer directory "%s" does not exist' % args.append)
-            return 2
+            raise DevtoolError('bbappend destination layer directory "%s" '
+                               'does not exist' % args.append)
         if not os.path.exists(os.path.join(args.append, 'conf', 'layer.conf')):
-            logger.error('conf/layer.conf not found in bbappend destination layer "%s"' % args.append)
-            return 2
+            raise DevtoolError('conf/layer.conf not found in bbappend '
+                               'destination layer "%s"' % args.append)
 
     tinfoil = setup_tinfoil()
 
     rd = _parse_recipe(config, tinfoil, args.recipename, True)
     if not rd:
-        return -1
+        return 1
 
     orig_src_uri = rd.getVar('SRC_URI', False) or ''
     if args.mode == 'auto':
@@ -786,17 +777,12 @@ def update_recipe(args, config, basepath, workspace):
 
     srctree = workspace[args.recipename]
 
-    try:
-        if mode == 'srcrev':
-            _update_recipe_srcrev(args, srctree, rd, tinfoil.config_data)
-        elif mode == 'patch':
-            _update_recipe_patch(args, config, srctree, rd,
-                                 tinfoil.config_data)
-        else:
-            raise DevtoolError('update_recipe: invalid mode %s' % mode)
-    except DevtoolError as err:
-        logger.error(err)
-        return 1
+    if mode == 'srcrev':
+        _update_recipe_srcrev(args, srctree, rd, tinfoil.config_data)
+    elif mode == 'patch':
+        _update_recipe_patch(args, config, srctree, rd, tinfoil.config_data)
+    else:
+        raise DevtoolError('update_recipe: invalid mode %s' % mode)
 
     return 0
 
@@ -816,15 +802,13 @@ def reset(args, config, basepath, workspace):
     import bb
     if args.recipename:
         if args.all:
-            logger.error("Recipe cannot be specified if -a/--all is used")
-            return -1
+            raise DevtoolError("Recipe cannot be specified if -a/--all is used")
         elif not args.recipename in workspace:
-            logger.error("no recipe named %s in your workspace" % args.recipename)
-            return -1
+            raise DevtoolError("no recipe named %s in your workspace" %
+                               args.recipename)
     elif not args.all:
-        logger.error("Recipe must be specified, or specify -a/--all to reset all recipes")
-        return -1
-
+        raise DevtoolError("Recipe must be specified, or specify -a/--all to "
+                           "reset all recipes")
     if args.all:
         recipes = workspace
     else:
@@ -836,8 +820,10 @@ def reset(args, config, basepath, workspace):
             try:
                 exec_build_env_command(config.init_path, basepath, 'bitbake -c clean %s' % pn)
             except bb.process.ExecutionError as e:
-                logger.error('Command \'%s\' failed, output:\n%s\nIf you wish, you may specify -n/--no-clean to skip running this command when resetting' % (e.command, e.stdout))
-                return 1
+                raise DevtoolError('Command \'%s\' failed, output:\n%s\nIf you '
+                                   'wish, you may specify -n/--no-clean to '
+                                   'skip running this command when resetting' %
+                                   (e.command, e.stdout))
 
         _check_preserve(config, pn)
 
@@ -861,8 +847,8 @@ def build(args, config, basepath, workspace):
     """Entry point for the devtool 'build' subcommand"""
     import bb
     if not args.recipename in workspace:
-        logger.error("no recipe named %s in your workspace" % args.recipename)
-        return -1
+        raise DevtoolError("no recipe named %s in your workspace" %
+                           args.recipename)
     build_task = config.get('Build', 'build_task', 'populate_sysroot')
     try:
         exec_build_env_command(config.init_path, basepath, 'bitbake -c %s %s' % (build_task, args.recipename), watch=True)