diff --git a/src/exec_nopty.c b/src/exec_nopty.c
index 826410641..97ef31957 100644
--- a/src/exec_nopty.c
+++ b/src/exec_nopty.c
@@ -475,16 +475,20 @@ exec_nopty(struct command_details *details, struct command_status *cstat)
      */
     fill_exec_closure_nopty(&ec, cstat, details, errpipe[0]);
 
-    /* Create event and closure for intercept mode. */
     if (ISSET(details->flags, CD_INTERCEPT|CD_LOG_SUBCMDS)) {
-	ec.intercept = intercept_setup(intercept_sv[0], ec.evbase, details);
-	if (ec.intercept == NULL)
-	    exit(EXIT_FAILURE);
-    }
+	bool success = true;
 
-    if (ISSET(details->flags, CD_USE_PTRACE)) {
-	/* Seize control of the command using ptrace(2). */
-	exec_ptrace_seize(ec.cmnd_pid);
+	/* Create event and closure for intercept mode. */
+	ec.intercept = intercept_setup(intercept_sv[0], ec.evbase, details);
+	if (ec.intercept == NULL) {
+	    success = false;
+	} else if (ISSET(details->flags, CD_USE_PTRACE)) {
+	    /* Seize control of the command using ptrace(2). */
+	    if (!exec_ptrace_seize(ec.cmnd_pid))
+		success = false;
+	}
+	if (!success)
+	    terminate_command(ec.cmnd_pid, true);
     }
 
     /* Restore signal mask now that signal handlers are setup. */
diff --git a/src/exec_pty.c b/src/exec_pty.c
index 661a9ad09..3e9250499 100644
--- a/src/exec_pty.c
+++ b/src/exec_pty.c
@@ -995,7 +995,13 @@ backchannel_cb(int fd, int what, void *v)
 		ec->details->command, (int)ec->cmnd_pid);
 	    if (ISSET(ec->details->flags, CD_USE_PTRACE)) {
 		/* Seize control of the command using ptrace(2). */
-		exec_ptrace_seize(ec->cmnd_pid);
+		if (!exec_ptrace_seize(ec->cmnd_pid)) {
+		    if (ec->cstat->type == CMD_INVALID) {
+			ec->cstat->type = CMD_ERRNO;
+			ec->cstat->val = errno;
+		    }
+		    sudo_ev_loopbreak(ec->evbase);
+		}
 	    }
 	    break;
 	case CMD_WSTATUS:
@@ -1675,7 +1681,7 @@ exec_pty(struct command_details *details, struct command_status *cstat)
     if (ISSET(details->flags, CD_INTERCEPT|CD_LOG_SUBCMDS)) {
 	ec.intercept = intercept_setup(intercept_sv[0], ec.evbase, details);
 	if (ec.intercept == NULL)
-	    exit(EXIT_FAILURE);
+	    terminate_command(ec.cmnd_pid, true);
     }
 
     /* Restore signal mask now that signal handlers are setup. */