diff --git a/src/modules/attitude_estimator_ekf/attitude_estimator_ekf_main.cpp b/src/modules/attitude_estimator_ekf/attitude_estimator_ekf_main.cpp
index affe6a68a4..3a09b44bb1 100755
--- a/src/modules/attitude_estimator_ekf/attitude_estimator_ekf_main.cpp
+++ b/src/modules/attitude_estimator_ekf/attitude_estimator_ekf_main.cpp
@@ -128,7 +128,7 @@ int attitude_estimator_ekf_main(int argc, char *argv[])
 		if (thread_running) {
 			warnx("already running\n");
 			/* this is not an error */
-			exit(0);
+			return 0;
 		}
 
 		thread_should_exit = false;