diff --git a/notmuch-client.h b/notmuch-client.h
index 793f32ec..d026e600 100644
--- a/notmuch-client.h
+++ b/notmuch-client.h
@@ -489,6 +489,9 @@ print_status_database (const char *loc,
 		       const notmuch_database_t *database,
 		       notmuch_status_t status);
 
+int
+status_to_exit (notmuch_status_t status);
+
 #include "command-line-arguments.h"
 
 extern char *notmuch_requested_db_uuid;
diff --git a/notmuch-insert.c b/notmuch-insert.c
index 862da889..bc96af0e 100644
--- a/notmuch-insert.c
+++ b/notmuch-insert.c
@@ -538,9 +538,10 @@ notmuch_insert_command (notmuch_config_t *config, int argc, char *argv[])
 	return EXIT_FAILURE;
     }
 
-   if (notmuch_database_open (notmuch_config_get_database_path (config),
-			       NOTMUCH_DATABASE_MODE_READ_WRITE, &notmuch))
-	return EXIT_FAILURE;
+    status = notmuch_database_open (notmuch_config_get_database_path (config),
+				    NOTMUCH_DATABASE_MODE_READ_WRITE, &notmuch);
+    if (status)
+	return keep ? NOTMUCH_STATUS_SUCCESS : status_to_exit (status);
 
     notmuch_exit_if_unmatched_db_uuid (notmuch);
 
@@ -577,5 +578,5 @@ notmuch_insert_command (notmuch_config_t *config, int argc, char *argv[])
 	notmuch_run_hook (db_path, "post-insert");
     }
 
-    return status ? EXIT_FAILURE : EXIT_SUCCESS;
+    return status_to_exit (status);
 }
diff --git a/status.c b/status.c
index 45d3fb4e..8bc2fe4b 100644
--- a/status.c
+++ b/status.c
@@ -36,3 +36,19 @@ print_status_database (const char *loc,
     }
     return status;
 }
+
+int
+status_to_exit (notmuch_status_t status)
+{
+    switch (status) {
+    case NOTMUCH_STATUS_SUCCESS:
+	return EXIT_SUCCESS;
+    case NOTMUCH_STATUS_OUT_OF_MEMORY:
+    case NOTMUCH_STATUS_XAPIAN_EXCEPTION:
+    case NOTMUCH_STATUS_DUPLICATE_MESSAGE_ID:
+    case NOTMUCH_STATUS_FILE_ERROR:
+	return EX_TEMPFAIL;
+    default:
+	return EXIT_FAILURE;
+    }
+}
diff --git a/test/T070-insert.sh b/test/T070-insert.sh
index 43b3abcf..57472b91 100755
--- a/test/T070-insert.sh
+++ b/test/T070-insert.sh
@@ -189,7 +189,6 @@ notmuch config set new.tags $OLDCONFIG
 
 for code in OUT_OF_MEMORY XAPIAN_EXCEPTION FILE_NOT_EMAIL \
     READ_ONLY_DATABASE UPGRADE_REQUIRED PATH_ERROR; do
-gen_insert_msg
 cat <<EOF > index-file-$code.gdb
 set breakpoint pending on
 set logging file index-file-$code.log
@@ -201,17 +200,30 @@ continue
 end
 run
 EOF
-test_begin_subtest "error exit when add_message returns $code"
-gdb --batch-silent --return-child-result \
-    -ex "set args insert < $gen_msg_filename" \
-    -x index-file-$code.gdb notmuch
-test_expect_equal $? 1
+done
 
-test_begin_subtest "success exit with --keep when add_message returns $code"
-gdb --batch-silent --return-child-result \
-    -ex "set args insert --keep < $gen_msg_filename" \
-    -x index-file-$code.gdb notmuch
-test_expect_equal $? 0
+gen_insert_msg
+
+for code in  FILE_NOT_EMAIL READ_ONLY_DATABASE UPGRADE_REQUIRED PATH_ERROR; do
+    test_expect_code 1 "EXIT_FAILURE when add_message returns $code" \
+         "gdb --batch-silent --return-child-result \
+	     -ex 'set args insert < $gen_msg_filename' \
+	     -x index-file-$code.gdb notmuch"
+    test_expect_code 0 "success exit with --keep when add_message returns $code" \
+         "gdb --batch-silent --return-child-result \
+	     -ex 'set args insert --keep < $gen_msg_filename' \
+	     -x index-file-$code.gdb notmuch"
+done
+
+for code in OUT_OF_MEMORY XAPIAN_EXCEPTION ; do
+    test_expect_code 75 "EX_TEMPFAIL when add_message returns $code" \
+         "gdb --batch-silent --return-child-result \
+	     -ex 'set args insert < $gen_msg_filename' \
+	     -x index-file-$code.gdb notmuch"
+    test_expect_code 0 "success exit with --keep when add_message returns $code" \
+         "gdb --batch-silent --return-child-result \
+	     -ex 'set args insert --keep < $gen_msg_filename' \
+	     -x index-file-$code.gdb notmuch"
 done
 
 test_done