diff --git a/src/executing/simple_cmd/simple_cmd_execute.c b/src/executing/simple_cmd/simple_cmd_execute.c
index 65612bf..4406434 100644
--- a/src/executing/simple_cmd/simple_cmd_execute.c
+++ b/src/executing/simple_cmd/simple_cmd_execute.c
@@ -6,7 +6,7 @@
 /*   By: khais <marvin@42.fr>                       +#+  +:+       +#+        */
 /*                                                +#+#+#+#+#+   +#+           */
 /*   Created: 2025/03/27 16:21:56 by khais             #+#    #+#             */
-/*   Updated: 2025/04/02 18:19:57 by khais            ###   ########.fr       */
+/*   Updated: 2025/04/15 15:01:17 by khais            ###   ########.fr       */
 /*                                                                            */
 /* ************************************************************************** */
 
@@ -18,6 +18,7 @@
 #include <unistd.h>
 #include <sys/wait.h>
 #include <stdio.h>
+#include <stdlib.h>
 
 static void	command_not_found(t_simple_cmd *cmd)
 {
@@ -25,6 +26,17 @@ static void	command_not_found(t_simple_cmd *cmd)
 		cmd->words->word->word);
 }
 
+static void	do_waitpid(t_minishell *app, int pid)
+{
+	int	wstatus;
+
+	waitpid(pid, &wstatus, 0);
+	if (WIFEXITED(wstatus))
+		app->last_return_value = WEXITSTATUS(wstatus);
+	if (WIFSIGNALED(wstatus))
+		app->last_return_value = 128 + WTERMSIG(wstatus);
+}
+
 void	simple_cmd_execute(t_simple_cmd *cmd, t_minishell *app)
 {
 	char	*exe;
@@ -44,6 +56,6 @@ void	simple_cmd_execute(t_simple_cmd *cmd, t_minishell *app)
 	if (pid == 0)
 		execute_subprocess(exe, cmd, app);
 	free(exe);
-	waitpid(pid, NULL, 0);
+	do_waitpid(app, pid);
 	return ;
 }
diff --git a/test.sh b/test.sh
index 2b647bc..18e4bf6 100755
--- a/test.sh
+++ b/test.sh
@@ -342,6 +342,21 @@ expecting <<EOF
 minishell: : command not found
 EOF
 
+when_run <<EOF "exit status of last command is preserved"
+echo \$?
+ls nonexist
+echo \$?
+echo hi
+echo \$?
+EOF
+expecting <<EOF
+0
+ls: cannot access 'nonexist': No such file or directory
+2
+hi
+0
+EOF
+
 when_run <<EOF "quoted parentheses are not operators"
 echo unclosed '('
 EOF