diff --git a/core/provider/digitalocean/task.go b/core/provider/digitalocean/task.go
index 42b8777..9e9ff72 100644
--- a/core/provider/digitalocean/task.go
+++ b/core/provider/digitalocean/task.go
@@ -346,16 +346,39 @@ func (p *Provider) RunCommand(ctx context.Context, taskName string, command []st
 
 	defer resp.Close()
 
-	execInspect, err := dockerClient.ContainerExecInspect(ctx, exec.ID)
+	lastExitCode := 0
+
+	err = util.WaitForCondition(ctx, 10*time.Second, 100*time.Millisecond, func() (bool, error) {
+		execInspect, err := dockerClient.ContainerExecInspect(ctx, exec.ID)
+		if err != nil {
+			return false, err
+		}
+
+		if execInspect.Running {
+			return false, nil
+		}
+
+		lastExitCode = execInspect.ExitCode
+
+		return true, nil
+	})
+
 	if err != nil {
-		return "", "", 0, err
+		p.logger.Error("failed to wait for exec", zap.Error(err), zap.String("taskName", taskName))
+		return "", "", lastExitCode, err
 	}
 
 	var stdout, stderr bytes.Buffer
 
 	_, err = stdcopy.StdCopy(&stdout, &stderr, resp.Reader)
+<<<<<<< HEAD
+=======
+	if err != nil {
+		return "", "", lastExitCode, err
+	}
+>>>>>>> 4a67052 (fix(provider): improve recognition of exit codes)
 
-	return stdout.String(), stderr.String(), execInspect.ExitCode, nil
+	return stdout.String(), stderr.String(), lastExitCode, nil
 }
 
 func (p *Provider) RunCommandWhileStopped(ctx context.Context, taskName string, definition provider.TaskDefinition, command []string) (string, string, int, error) {
@@ -425,16 +448,73 @@ func (p *Provider) RunCommandWhileStopped(ctx context.Context, taskName string,
 
 	defer resp.Close()
 
-	execInspect, err := dockerClient.ContainerExecInspect(ctx, exec.ID)
+	lastExitCode := 0
+
+	err = util.WaitForCondition(ctx, 10*time.Second, 100*time.Millisecond, func() (bool, error) {
+		execInspect, err := dockerClient.ContainerExecInspect(ctx, exec.ID)
+		if err != nil {
+			return false, err
+		}
+
+		if execInspect.Running {
+			return false, nil
+		}
+
+		lastExitCode = execInspect.ExitCode
+
+		return true, nil
+	})
+
 	if err != nil {
+<<<<<<< HEAD
 		return "", "", 0, err
+=======
+		p.logger.Error("failed to wait for exec", zap.Error(err), zap.String("taskName", taskName))
+		return "", "", lastExitCode, err
+>>>>>>> 4a67052 (fix(provider): improve recognition of exit codes)
 	}
 
 	var stdout, stderr bytes.Buffer
 
 	_, err = stdcopy.StdCopy(&stdout, &stderr, resp.Reader)
 
+<<<<<<< HEAD
 	return stdout.String(), stderr.String(), execInspect.ExitCode, nil
+=======
+	return stdout.String(), stderr.String(), lastExitCode, err
+}
+
+func startContainerWithBlock(ctx context.Context, dockerClient *dockerclient.Client, containerID string) error {
+	// start container
+	if err := dockerClient.ContainerStart(ctx, containerID, types.ContainerStartOptions{}); err != nil {
+		return err
+	}
+
+	// cancel container after a minute
+	waitCtx, cancel := context.WithTimeout(ctx, 3*time.Minute)
+	defer cancel()
+	ticker := time.NewTicker(100 * time.Millisecond)
+	for {
+		select {
+		case <-waitCtx.Done():
+			return fmt.Errorf("error waiting for container to start: %v", waitCtx.Err())
+		case <-ticker.C:
+			container, err := dockerClient.ContainerInspect(ctx, containerID)
+			if err != nil {
+				return err
+			}
+
+			// if the container is running, we're done
+			if container.State.Running {
+				return nil
+			}
+
+			if container.State.Status == "exited" && container.State.ExitCode != 0 {
+				return fmt.Errorf("container exited with status %d", container.State.ExitCode)
+			}
+		}
+	}
+>>>>>>> 4a67052 (fix(provider): improve recognition of exit codes)
 }
 
 func (p *Provider) pullImage(ctx context.Context, dockerClient *dockerclient.Client, image string) error {
diff --git a/core/provider/docker/task.go b/core/provider/docker/task.go
index 7685536..fac2e8d 100644
--- a/core/provider/docker/task.go
+++ b/core/provider/docker/task.go
@@ -216,16 +216,39 @@ func (p *Provider) RunCommand(ctx context.Context, id string, command []string)
 
 	defer resp.Close()
 
-	execInspect, err := p.dockerClient.ContainerExecInspect(ctx, exec.ID)
+	lastExitCode := 0
+
+	err = util.WaitForCondition(ctx, 10*time.Second, 100*time.Millisecond, func() (bool, error) {
+		execInspect, err := p.dockerClient.ContainerExecInspect(ctx, exec.ID)
+		if err != nil {
+			return false, err
+		}
+
+		if execInspect.Running {
+			return false, nil
+		}
+
+		lastExitCode = execInspect.ExitCode
+
+		return true, nil
+	})
+
 	if err != nil {
-		return "", "", 0, err
+		p.logger.Error("failed to wait for exec", zap.Error(err), zap.String("id", id))
+		return "", "", lastExitCode, err
 	}
 
 	var stdout, stderr bytes.Buffer
 
 	_, err = stdcopy.StdCopy(&stdout, &stderr, resp.Reader)
+<<<<<<< HEAD
+=======
+	if err != nil {
+		return "", "", lastExitCode, err
+	}
+>>>>>>> 4a67052 (fix(provider): improve recognition of exit codes)
 
-	return stdout.String(), stderr.String(), execInspect.ExitCode, nil
+	return stdout.String(), stderr.String(), lastExitCode, nil
 }
 
 func (p *Provider) RunCommandWhileStopped(ctx context.Context, id string, definition provider.TaskDefinition, command []string) (string, string, int, error) {
diff --git a/cosmos/node/genesis.go b/cosmos/node/genesis.go
index 8101ace..65a6fcf 100644
--- a/cosmos/node/genesis.go
+++ b/cosmos/node/genesis.go
@@ -76,7 +76,11 @@ func (n *Node) AddGenesisAccount(ctx context.Context, address string, genesisAmo
 	n.logger.Debug("add-genesis-account", zap.String("stdout", stdout), zap.String("stderr", stderr), zap.Int("exitCode", exitCode))
 
 	if err != nil {
-		return err
+		return fmt.Errorf("failed to add genesis account: %w", err)
+	}
+
+	if exitCode != 0 {
+		return fmt.Errorf("failed to add genesis account (exitcode=%d): %s", exitCode, stderr)
 	}
 
 	return nil
@@ -103,11 +107,15 @@ func (n *Node) GenerateGenTx(ctx context.Context, genesisSelfDelegation types.Co
 	stdout, stderr, exitCode, err := n.Task.RunCommand(ctx, command)
 	n.logger.Debug("gentx", zap.String("stdout", stdout), zap.String("stderr", stderr), zap.Int("exitCode", exitCode))
 
+	if err != nil {
+		return fmt.Errorf("failed to generate genesis transaction: %w", err)
+	}
+
 	if exitCode != 0 {
-		return fmt.Errorf("failed to generate genesis transaction: %s (exitcode=%d)", stderr, exitCode)
+		return fmt.Errorf("failed to generate genesis transaction (exitcode=%d): %s", exitCode, stderr)
 	}
 
-	return err
+	return nil
 }
 
 // CollectGenTxs collects the genesis transactions from the node and create a finalized genesis file
@@ -125,7 +133,15 @@ func (n *Node) CollectGenTxs(ctx context.Context) error {
 	stdout, stderr, exitCode, err := n.Task.RunCommand(ctx, n.BinCommand(command...))
 	n.logger.Debug("collect-gentxs", zap.String("stdout", stdout), zap.String("stderr", stderr), zap.Int("exitCode", exitCode))
 
-	return err
+	if err != nil {
+		return fmt.Errorf("failed to collect genesis transactions: %w", err)
+	}
+
+	if exitCode != 0 {
+		return fmt.Errorf("failed to collect genesis transactions (exitcode=%d): %s", exitCode, stderr)
+	}
+
+	return nil
 }
 
 // OverwriteGenesisFile overwrites the genesis file on the node with the provided genesis file
diff --git a/cosmos/node/init.go b/cosmos/node/init.go
index 80fde22..37ba662 100644
--- a/cosmos/node/init.go
+++ b/cosmos/node/init.go
@@ -2,6 +2,11 @@ package node
 
 import (
 	"context"
+<<<<<<< HEAD
+=======
+	"fmt"
+
+>>>>>>> 4a67052 (fix(provider): improve recognition of exit codes)
 	"go.uber.org/zap"
 )
 
@@ -13,5 +18,13 @@ func (n *Node) InitHome(ctx context.Context) error {
 	stdout, stderr, exitCode, err := n.Task.RunCommand(ctx, n.BinCommand([]string{"init", n.Definition.Name, "--chain-id", chainConfig.ChainId}...))
 	n.logger.Debug("init home", zap.String("stdout", stdout), zap.String("stderr", stderr), zap.Int("exitCode", exitCode))
 
-	return err
+	if err != nil {
+		return fmt.Errorf("failed to init home: %w", err)
+	}
+
+	if exitCode != 0 {
+		return fmt.Errorf("failed to init home (exit code %d): %s", exitCode, stderr)
+	}
+
+	return nil
 }
diff --git a/cosmos/node/keys.go b/cosmos/node/keys.go
index f132d0a..13dd8bb 100644
--- a/cosmos/node/keys.go
+++ b/cosmos/node/keys.go
@@ -57,12 +57,16 @@ func (n *Node) KeyBech32(ctx context.Context, name, bech string) (string, error)
 		command = append(command, "--bech", bech)
 	}
 
-	stdout, stderr, _, err := n.Task.RunCommand(ctx, command)
+	stdout, stderr, exitCode, err := n.Task.RunCommand(ctx, command)
 	n.logger.Debug("show key", zap.String("name", name), zap.String("stdout", stdout), zap.String("stderr", stderr))
 
 	if err != nil {
 		return "", fmt.Errorf("failed to show key %q (stderr=%q): %w", name, stderr, err)
 	}
 
+	if exitCode != 0 {
+		return "", fmt.Errorf("failed to show key %q (exitcode=%d): %s", name, exitCode, stderr)
+	}
+
 	return util.CleanDockerOutput(stdout), nil
 }