diff --git a/BitsParser.py b/BitsParser.py
index d813cae..dc95c6a 100644
--- a/BitsParser.py
+++ b/BitsParser.py
@@ -57,6 +57,8 @@ def __init__(self, queue_dir, carve_db, carve_all, out_file, sid_lookup=True):
         self.carve_all_files = carve_all
         self.out_file = out_file
         self.sid_lookup = sid_lookup
+        # Set when a file could not be read, so the exit code reports it
+        self.failed = False
 
         self.sid_user_cache = {}
         self.visited_jobs = set()
@@ -384,7 +386,7 @@ def output_jobs_properjson(self, file_path, jobs):
                 sys.stdout = orig_stdout
 
 
-    def process_file(self, file_path):
+    def process_file(self, file_path, named_directly=False):
         """ Processes the given BITS file.  Attempts to find/parse jobs. """
 
         try:
@@ -408,10 +410,17 @@ def process_file(self, file_path):
                 else:
                     jobs = self.load_non_qmgr_jobs(file_data)
 
+            # A directory also holds ESE logs and checkpoints, so only a file named directly is an error
+            elif named_directly:
+                print(f'{file_path} is not a recognized BITS database', file=sys.stderr)
+                self.failed = True
+                return
+
             self.output_jobs_properjson(file_path, jobs)
 
         except Exception:
             print(f'Exception occurred processing file {file_path}: ' + traceback.format_exc(), file=sys.stderr)
+            self.failed = True
 
 
     def determine_directory_architecture(self, path):
@@ -427,7 +436,7 @@ def run(self):
 
         # If the queue "directory" is a file, just process the file
         if os.path.isfile(self.queue_dir):
-            self.process_file(self.queue_dir)
+            self.process_file(self.queue_dir, named_directly=True)
             return
 
         # Determine if the directory appears to belong to a Windows 10 system or an older system for carving
@@ -605,3 +614,4 @@ def parse(self):
     bits_parser = BitsParser(queue_dir, parsed_args.carvedb, parsed_args.carveall, parsed_args.output,
                              sid_lookup=not parsed_args.no_sid_lookup)
     bits_parser.run()
+    sys.exit(1 if bits_parser.failed else 0)
diff --git a/ct/README.md b/ct/README.md
index 4e38e2a..6309d79 100644
--- a/ct/README.md
+++ b/ct/README.md
@@ -19,6 +19,9 @@ Work happens on `master`. Upstream is
   that has the XP job delimiter the PyPI release lacks.
 - **`--no-sid-lookup`.** Writes only `OwnerSID`, without resolving it against
   the accounts of the machine running BitsParser. Cyber Triage passes it.
+- **Failure exit code.** Exits 1, without writing output, when a file named by
+  `-i` is not a recognized BITS database or cannot be parsed. Cyber Triage
+  reports that exit code as a host analysis issue.
 - **Pinned build.** `requirements-build.txt` pins PyInstaller and its
   dependencies, and `.github/workflows/ct_release.yml` builds the exe.
 
diff --git a/ct/smoke_test.py b/ct/smoke_test.py
index febe63a..90a1585 100644
--- a/ct/smoke_test.py
+++ b/ct/smoke_test.py
@@ -55,9 +55,11 @@ def main():
             with open(out, encoding="utf-8") as file_object:
                 document = json.load(file_object)
         print(f"zero-filled file: exit code {exit_code}, output {document}")
-        if exit_code != 0 or document != {"jobs": []}:
+        # Cyber Triage reports an unreadable database from the exit code
+        if exit_code != 1 or document is not None:
             failures.append(
-                f'a zero-filled file gave {document}, expected {{"jobs": []}}'
+                f"a zero-filled file gave exit code {exit_code} and {document}, "
+                "expected exit code 1 and no output"
             )
 
     # pyi-archive_viewer, from the PyInstaller that runs this script.