diff --git a/src/main.rs b/src/main.rs
index cd39f23..fa8ba3a 100644
--- a/src/main.rs
+++ b/src/main.rs
@@ -6,6 +6,7 @@ extern crate clap;
 extern crate git2;
 extern crate yaml_rust;
 
+use std::io::{self, Write};
 use backend::Backend;
 use cli::cli;
 use conf::{Conf,get_configuration,create_default_config};
@@ -24,45 +25,57 @@ mod constants;
 mod models;
 
 
-fn main() {
+fn run_app() -> Result<(), String> {
     let app = cli();
     let matches = app.get_matches();
 
     let debug_enabled = matches.is_present("debug");
     if debug_enabled { println!("Debug messages are enabled."); }
 
-    let repo = match Repository::discover(".") {
-        Ok(repo) => repo,
-        // not a git repository, ignore
-        Err(e) => {
-            if debug_enabled { println!("This is not a git repository: {:?}", e); }
-            return ();
-        }
-    };
-
     let conf_path: Option<String> = if matches.is_present("config") {
         Some(String::from(matches.value_of("config").unwrap()))
     } else {
         None
     };
 
+    // create default config command
     if matches.is_present(CLI_DEFAULT_CONFIG_SUBC_NAME) {
         let p = get_default_config_path();
         match create_default_config(&p) {
             Ok(path) => {
                 println!("Configuration file created at \"{}\"", path);
-                return ();
+                return Ok(());
+            }
+            Err(e) => {
+                return Err(format!("Failed to create configuration file \"{}\": {}", p.to_str().unwrap(), e));
             }
+        };
+    } else {
+        // no command, run primary functionality
+        let repo = match Repository::discover(".") {
+            Ok(repo) => repo,
+            // not a git repository, ignore
             Err(e) => {
-                println!("Failed to create configuration file \"{}\": {}", p.to_str().unwrap(), e);
-                return ();
+                if debug_enabled { println!("This is not a git repository: {:?}", e); }
+                return Ok(());
             }
         };
+
+        let backend = Backend::new(repo, debug_enabled);
+        let dm: DisplayMaster = DisplayMaster::new(backend, debug_enabled);
+        let mut conf: Conf = get_configuration(conf_path, dm);
+        let out: String = conf.populate_values();
+        println!("{}", out);
     }
+    Ok(())
+}
 
-    let backend = Backend::new(repo, debug_enabled);
-    let dm: DisplayMaster = DisplayMaster::new(backend, debug_enabled);
-    let mut conf: Conf = get_configuration(conf_path, dm);
-    let out: String = conf.populate_values();
-    println!("{}", out);
+fn main() {
+    ::std::process::exit(match run_app() {
+        Ok(_) => 0,
+        Err(err) => {
+            writeln!(io::stderr(), "{}", err).unwrap();
+            2
+        }
+    });
 }