diff --git a/btrbk b/btrbk
index ab1a2cb..92474c1 100755
--- a/btrbk
+++ b/btrbk
@@ -5372,6 +5372,9 @@ MAIN:
       }
     }
 
+    # do not return clean status if there is uncoverable problem
+    $exit_status = 10 if scalar(@unrecoverable);
+
     exit $exit_status;
   }