diff --git a/cmd/kube-proxy/app/server.go b/cmd/kube-proxy/app/server.go
index e75518ae8eb..13a751df477 100644
--- a/cmd/kube-proxy/app/server.go
+++ b/cmd/kube-proxy/app/server.go
@@ -435,7 +435,10 @@ with the apiserver API to configure the proxy.`,
 			if err := opts.Validate(args); err != nil {
 				klog.Fatalf("failed validate: %v", err)
 			}
-			klog.Fatal(opts.Run())
+
+			if err := opts.Run(); err != nil {
+				klog.Exit(err)
+			}
 		},
 	}