diff --git a/packages/cli/src/command.js b/packages/cli/src/command.js
index 7108d0450f..296cbbca09 100644
--- a/packages/cli/src/command.js
+++ b/packages/cli/src/command.js
@@ -31,33 +31,47 @@ export default class NuxtCommand {
     return new NuxtCommand(cmd, argv)
   }
 
-  run() {
+  async run() {
     if (this.argv.help) {
       this.showHelp()
-      return Promise.resolve()
+      return
     }
 
     if (this.argv.version) {
       this.showVersion()
-      return Promise.resolve()
+      return
     }
 
     if (typeof this.cmd.run !== 'function') {
-      return Promise.resolve()
+      return
     }
 
-    const runResolve = Promise.resolve(this.cmd.run(this))
+    let cmdError
+
+    try {
+      await this.cmd.run(this)
+    } catch (e) {
+      cmdError = e
+    }
 
     if (this.argv.lock) {
-      runResolve.then(() => this.releaseLock())
+      await this.releaseLock()
     }
 
     if (this.argv['force-exit']) {
       const forceExitByUser = this.isUserSuppliedArg('force-exit')
-      runResolve.then(() => forceExit(this.cmd.name, forceExitByUser ? false : forceExitTimeout))
+      if (cmdError) {
+        consola.fatal(cmdError)
+      }
+      forceExit(this.cmd.name, forceExitByUser ? false : forceExitTimeout)
+      if (forceExitByUser) {
+        return
+      }
     }
 
-    return runResolve
+    if (cmdError) {
+      throw cmdError
+    }
   }
 
   showVersion() {
diff --git a/packages/cli/test/unit/generate.test.js b/packages/cli/test/unit/generate.test.js
index 8905284def..44b54cc9f4 100644
--- a/packages/cli/test/unit/generate.test.js
+++ b/packages/cli/test/unit/generate.test.js
@@ -141,7 +141,7 @@ describe('generate', () => {
     mockGetGenerator(() => ({ errors: [{ type: 'dummy' }] }))
 
     const cmd = NuxtCommand.from(generate, ['generate', '.', '--fail-on-error'])
-    await expect(cmd.run()).rejects
+    await expect(cmd.run()).rejects.toThrow('Error generating pages, exiting with non-zero code')
   })
 
   test('do not throw an error when fail-on-error disabled and page errors', async () => {
diff --git a/test/utils/setup.js b/test/utils/setup.js
index bb74d136c9..cda2252ad1 100644
--- a/test/utils/setup.js
+++ b/test/utils/setup.js
@@ -1,6 +1,7 @@
 import consola from 'consola'
 import chalk from 'chalk'
 import env from 'std-env'
+import exit from 'exit'
 
 const isWin = env.windows
 
@@ -15,3 +16,11 @@ chalk.enabled = false
 jest.setTimeout(60000)
 
 consola.mockTypes(() => jest.fn())
+
+function errorTrap(error) {
+  process.stderr.write('\n' + error.stack + '\n')
+  exit(1)
+}
+
+process.on('unhandledRejection', errorTrap)
+process.on('uncaughtException', errorTrap)