diff --git a/terminator.cc b/terminator.cc
index abf57c8..6d00ddb 100644
--- a/terminator.cc
+++ b/terminator.cc
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-// Copyright (c) 2010 The Chromium OS Authors. All rights reserved.
+// Copyright (c) 2012 The Chromium OS Authors. All rights reserved.
 // Use of this source code is governed by a BSD-style license that can be
 // found in the LICENSE file.
 
@@ -8,6 +8,7 @@
 
 namespace chromeos_update_engine {
 
+volatile sig_atomic_t Terminator::exit_status_ = 1;  // default exit status
 volatile sig_atomic_t Terminator::exit_blocked_ = 0;
 volatile sig_atomic_t Terminator::exit_requested_ = 0;
 
@@ -17,8 +18,13 @@
   signal(SIGTERM, HandleSignal);
 }
 
+void Terminator::Init(int exit_status) {
+  exit_status_ = exit_status;
+  Init();
+}
+
 void Terminator::Exit() {
-  exit(1);
+  exit(exit_status_);
 }
 
 void Terminator::HandleSignal(int signum) {
diff --git a/terminator.h b/terminator.h
index b3fdba6..97c9d7f 100644
--- a/terminator.h
+++ b/terminator.h
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-// Copyright (c) 2010 The Chromium OS Authors. All rights reserved.
+// Copyright (c) 2012 The Chromium OS Authors. All rights reserved.
 // Use of this source code is governed by a BSD-style license that can be
 // found in the LICENSE file.
 
@@ -16,6 +16,7 @@
  public:
   // Initializes the terminator and sets up signal handlers.
   static void Init();
+  static void Init(int exit_status);
 
   // Terminates the current process.
   static void Exit();
@@ -37,6 +38,7 @@
   // The signal handler.
   static void HandleSignal(int signum);
 
+  static volatile sig_atomic_t exit_status_;
   static volatile sig_atomic_t exit_blocked_;
   static volatile sig_atomic_t exit_requested_;
 };
diff --git a/terminator_unittest.cc b/terminator_unittest.cc
index b0f4191..68d4d13 100644
--- a/terminator_unittest.cc
+++ b/terminator_unittest.cc
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-// Copyright (c) 2010 The Chromium OS Authors. All rights reserved.
+// Copyright (c) 2012 The Chromium OS Authors. All rights reserved.
 // Use of this source code is governed by a BSD-style license that can be
 // found in the LICENSE file.
 
@@ -34,7 +34,7 @@
 }
 
 void RaiseSIGTERM() {
-  ASSERT_EXIT(raise(SIGTERM), ExitedWithCode(1), "");
+  ASSERT_EXIT(raise(SIGTERM), ExitedWithCode(2), "");
 }
 }  // namespace {}
 
@@ -54,9 +54,9 @@
 }
 
 TEST_F(TerminatorDeathTest, ExitTest) {
-  ASSERT_EXIT(Terminator::Exit(), ExitedWithCode(1), "");
+  ASSERT_EXIT(Terminator::Exit(), ExitedWithCode(2), "");
   Terminator::set_exit_blocked(true);
-  ASSERT_EXIT(Terminator::Exit(), ExitedWithCode(1), "");
+  ASSERT_EXIT(Terminator::Exit(), ExitedWithCode(2), "");
 }
 
 TEST_F(TerminatorDeathTest, RaiseSignalTest) {
@@ -68,7 +68,7 @@
 TEST_F(TerminatorDeathTest, ScopedTerminatorExitUnblockerExitTest) {
   Terminator::set_exit_blocked(true);
   Terminator::exit_requested_ = 1;
-  ASSERT_EXIT(UnblockExitThroughUnblocker(), ExitedWithCode(1), "");
+  ASSERT_EXIT(UnblockExitThroughUnblocker(), ExitedWithCode(2), "");
 }
 
 }  // namespace chromeos_update_engine
diff --git a/testrunner.cc b/testrunner.cc
index 725b5b5..59b1b4b 100644
--- a/testrunner.cc
+++ b/testrunner.cc
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-// Copyright (c) 2009 The Chromium OS Authors. All rights reserved.
+// Copyright (c) 2012 The Chromium OS Authors. All rights reserved.
 // Use of this source code is governed by a BSD-style license that can be
 // found in the LICENSE file.
 
@@ -21,7 +21,12 @@
   g_thread_init(NULL);
   dbus_g_thread_init();
   base::AtExitManager exit_manager;
-  chromeos_update_engine::Terminator::Init();
+  // TODO(garnold) temporarily cause the unittest binary to exit with status
+  // code 2 upon catching a SIGTERM. This will help diagnose why the unittest
+  // binary is perceived as failing by the buildbot.  We should revert it to use
+  // the default exit status of 1.  Corresponding reverts are necessary in
+  // terminator_unittest.cc.
+  chromeos_update_engine::Terminator::Init(2);
   chromeos_update_engine::Subprocess::Init();
   CommandLine::Init(argc, argv);
   ::testing::InitGoogleTest(&argc, argv);