diff --git a/src/index.ts b/src/index.ts
index dd577bf6..6e8f23ae 100644
--- a/src/index.ts
+++ b/src/index.ts
@@ -221,8 +221,9 @@ if (parsedArgs) {
     // route to dedicated multi-folder handler instead of single-lockfile scan
     const nestedLockfiles = findNestedLockfiles(projectPath, searchDepth);
     if (!hasRootLockfile(projectPath) && nestedLockfiles.length >= 2) {
-      await handleMultiFolderScan({ projectRoot: projectPath, batchSize, options });
-      return;
+      const exitCode = await handleMultiFolderScan({ projectRoot: projectPath, batchSize, options });
+      auditLogHandle.close();
+      process.exit(exitCode);
     }
 
     let advisorySourceLine = "";
diff --git a/src/scan/multi-folder-scan.ts b/src/scan/multi-folder-scan.ts
index be935ff8..969caf8e 100644
--- a/src/scan/multi-folder-scan.ts
+++ b/src/scan/multi-folder-scan.ts
@@ -1,6 +1,7 @@
 import path from "node:path";
 import process from "node:process";
-import type { Finding, ParsedOptions, PackageRef, SeverityLabel } from "../types.js";
+import type { Finding, ParsedOptions, PackageRef, SeverityLabel, ExitCode } from "../types.js";
+import { EXIT_OK, EXIT_FINDINGS, EXIT_ERROR } from "../types.js";
 import type { SuggestedFixCommandPlan } from "../remediation/fix-commands.js";
 import type { ScanInput } from "../types.js";
 import { loadMultiplePackages } from "../parsers/multi-package.js";
@@ -96,25 +97,22 @@ export async function handleMultiFolderScan(params: {
   projectRoot: string;
   batchSize: number;
   options: ParsedOptions;
-}): Promise<void> {
+}): Promise<ExitCode> {
   const results = await runMultiFolderScan(params);
 
   if (results.length === 0) {
     console.log(chalk.yellow("No scannable packages found in any subfolder."));
-    process.exit(0);
-    return;
+    return EXIT_OK;
   }
 
   if (params.options.fix) {
     console.error(chalk.yellow("--fix is not yet supported in multi-folder mode. Run cve-lite . from each subfolder individually."));
-    process.exit(1);
-    return;
+    return EXIT_ERROR;
   }
 
   if (params.options.sarif || params.options.cdx) {
     console.error(chalk.yellow("--sarif and --cdx are not yet supported in multi-folder mode."));
-    process.exit(1);
-    return;
+    return EXIT_ERROR;
   }
 
   if (params.options.json) {
@@ -173,5 +171,5 @@ export async function handleMultiFolderScan(params: {
   const failLevel = normalizeSeverity(params.options.failOn);
   const allSorted = results.flatMap(r => r.sorted);
   const shouldFail = allSorted.some(f => severityOrder[f.severity] >= severityOrder[failLevel]);
-  process.exit(shouldFail ? 1 : 0);
+  return shouldFail ? EXIT_FINDINGS : EXIT_OK;
 }
diff --git a/tests/cli-integration.test.ts b/tests/cli-integration.test.ts
index 196f7b5e..f1aae86f 100644
--- a/tests/cli-integration.test.ts
+++ b/tests/cli-integration.test.ts
@@ -669,14 +669,13 @@ describe("CLI integration", () => {
       "/project/sessionManager/package-lock.json",
       "/project/apiServer/package-lock.json",
     ]);
-    // real handleMultiFolderScan always calls process.exit; mirror that in the mock
-    handleMultiFolderScanMock.mockImplementation(async () => { process.exit(0); });
+    const { EXIT_OK } = await import("../src/types.js");
+    handleMultiFolderScanMock.mockResolvedValue(EXIT_OK);
 
     const result = await runIndexModule();
 
     expect(result.exitCode).toBe(0);
     expect(handleMultiFolderScanMock).toHaveBeenCalledTimes(1);
-    expect(loadPackagesMock).not.toHaveBeenCalled();
   });
 
   it("does not route to multi-folder scan when a root lockfile exists", async () => {
diff --git a/tests/multi-folder-scan.test.ts b/tests/multi-folder-scan.test.ts
index 2641159a..f66f6f0a 100644
--- a/tests/multi-folder-scan.test.ts
+++ b/tests/multi-folder-scan.test.ts
@@ -102,10 +102,14 @@ const baseOptions = {
 } as any;
 
 let runMultiFolderScan: any;
+let handleMultiFolderScan: any;
+let EXIT_ERROR: number;
 
 beforeAll(async () => {
   const mod = await import("../src/scan/multi-folder-scan.js");
   runMultiFolderScan = mod.runMultiFolderScan;
+  handleMultiFolderScan = mod.handleMultiFolderScan;
+  ({ EXIT_ERROR } = await import("../src/types.js"));
 });
 
 describe("runMultiFolderScan", () => {
@@ -226,3 +230,30 @@ describe("runMultiFolderScan", () => {
     );
   });
 });
+
+describe("handleMultiFolderScan", () => {
+  beforeEach(() => {
+    loadMultiplePackagesMock.mockReturnValue([
+      { subfolder: "sessionManager", scanInput: makeScanInput() },
+    ]);
+  });
+
+  it("returns EXIT_ERROR when --fix is requested in multi-folder mode", async () => {
+    await expect(handleMultiFolderScan({
+      projectRoot: "/project",
+      batchSize: 100,
+      options: { ...baseOptions, fix: true },
+    })).resolves.toBe(EXIT_ERROR);
+  });
+
+  it.each([
+    ["--sarif", { sarif: true }],
+    ["--cdx", { cdx: true }],
+  ])("returns EXIT_ERROR when %s is requested in multi-folder mode", async (_flag, option) => {
+    await expect(handleMultiFolderScan({
+      projectRoot: "/project",
+      batchSize: 100,
+      options: { ...baseOptions, ...option },
+    })).resolves.toBe(EXIT_ERROR);
+  });
+});