diff --git a/Tools/scripts/uploader.py b/Tools/scripts/uploader.py
index 02eb51d01c..20be9596c9 100755
--- a/Tools/scripts/uploader.py
+++ b/Tools/scripts/uploader.py
@@ -1171,8 +1171,8 @@ def main():
                         up.upload(fw, force=args.force, boot_delay=args.boot_delay)
 
                 except RuntimeError as ex:
-                    # print the error
-                    print("\nERROR: %s" % ex.args)
+                    # print the error and exit as a failure
+                    sys.exit("\nERROR: %s" % ex.args)
 
                 except IOError:
                     up.close()