diff --git a/src/modules/mc_pos_control/mc_pos_control_main.cpp b/src/modules/mc_pos_control/mc_pos_control_main.cpp
index 11784037bb..14d860f29e 100644
--- a/src/modules/mc_pos_control/mc_pos_control_main.cpp
+++ b/src/modules/mc_pos_control/mc_pos_control_main.cpp
@@ -1473,6 +1473,7 @@ int mc_pos_control_main(int argc, char *argv[])
 	if (!strcmp(argv[1], "stop")) {
 		if (pos_control::g_control == nullptr) {
 			warnx("not running");
+			return 1;
 		}
 
 		delete pos_control::g_control;