diff --git a/doc/aa-test.pod b/doc/aa-test.pod
index a1558ad..409935f 100644
--- a/doc/aa-test.pod
+++ b/doc/aa-test.pod
@@ -64,4 +64,12 @@ Test whether I<FILE> exists and execute (search) permission is granted
 =head1 DESCRIPTION
 
 B<aa-test>(1) is a simple tool to check file types/permissions as specified, and
-return 0 when true, else 1.
+return 0 when true, else:
+
+1: Syntax error (e.g. invalid option)
+
+2: System error (e.g. permission denied)
+
+3: I<FILE> doesn't exist
+
+4: I<File> exists, but the rest of the test failed (e.g. wrong type)
diff --git a/src/utils/aa-test.c b/src/utils/aa-test.c
index a321122..1156fa8 100644
--- a/src/utils/aa-test.c
+++ b/src/utils/aa-test.c
@@ -111,37 +111,37 @@ main (int argc, char * const argv[])
     if (lstat (argv[0], &st) < 0)
     {
         if (errno != ENOENT)
-            strerr_diefu2sys (1, "stat ", argv[0]);
+            strerr_diefu2sys (2, "stat ", argv[0]);
         else
-            return 1;
+            return 3;
     }
 
     switch (test)
     {
         case 'b':
-            return (S_ISBLK (st.st_mode)) ? 0 : 1;
+            return (S_ISBLK (st.st_mode)) ? 0 : 4;
 
         case 'd':
-            return (S_ISDIR (st.st_mode)) ? 0 : 1;
+            return (S_ISDIR (st.st_mode)) ? 0 : 4;
 
         case 'e':
             return 0;
 
         case 'f':
-            return (S_ISREG (st.st_mode)) ? 0 : 1;
+            return (S_ISREG (st.st_mode)) ? 0 : 4;
 
         case 'L':
-            return (S_ISLNK (st.st_mode)) ? 0 : 1;
+            return (S_ISLNK (st.st_mode)) ? 0 : 4;
 
         case 'p':
-            return (S_ISFIFO (st.st_mode)) ? 0 : 1;
+            return (S_ISFIFO (st.st_mode)) ? 0 : 4;
 
         case 'r':
             mode = R_OK;
             break;
 
         case 'S':
-            return (S_ISSOCK (st.st_mode)) ? 0 : 1;
+            return (S_ISSOCK (st.st_mode)) ? 0 : 4;
 
         case 'w':
             mode = W_OK;
@@ -162,7 +162,7 @@ main (int argc, char * const argv[])
         else if (st.st_mode & (S_IXUSR | S_IXGRP | S_IXOTH))
             return 0;
         else
-            return 1;
+            return 4;
     }
 
     if (st.st_uid == euid)
@@ -170,5 +170,5 @@ main (int argc, char * const argv[])
     else if (is_group_member (st.st_gid))
         mode <<= 3;
 
-    return (st.st_mode & mode) ? 0 : 1;
+    return (st.st_mode & mode) ? 0 : 4;
 }