diff --git a/scripts/load-vault-env.sh b/scripts/load-vault-env.sh
index 8ab349c..fb3e25e 100755
--- a/scripts/load-vault-env.sh
+++ b/scripts/load-vault-env.sh
@@ -69,20 +69,20 @@ wait_for_tcp() {
 
 VAULT_ENABLED="${VAULT_ENABLED:-auto}"
 if [ "$VAULT_ENABLED" = "false" ] || [ "$VAULT_ENABLED" = "0" ]; then
-  exit 0
+  return 0 2>/dev/null || exit 0
 fi
 
 if [ -z "${VAULT_ADDR:-}" ] || [ -z "${VAULT_TOKEN:-}" ]; then
   if [ "$VAULT_ENABLED" = "true" ] || [ "$VAULT_ENABLED" = "1" ]; then
     log "Vault bootstrap is required but VAULT_ADDR or VAULT_TOKEN is missing."
-    exit 1
+    return 1 2>/dev/null || exit 1
   fi
-  exit 0
+  return 0 2>/dev/null || exit 0
 fi
 
 if ! command -v curl >/dev/null 2>&1 || ! command -v jq >/dev/null 2>&1; then
   log "Vault bootstrap requires curl and jq."
-  exit 1
+  return 1 2>/dev/null || exit 1
 fi
 
 VAULT_KV_MOUNT="${VAULT_KV_MOUNT:-secret}"
@@ -144,7 +144,7 @@ if is_enabled "${WAIT_FOR_HATCHET_ENGINE:-0}"; then
         ;;
       *)
         log "Invalid HATCHET wait host:port value: ${hatchet_wait_host_port}"
-        exit 1
+        return 1 2>/dev/null || exit 1
         ;;
     esac
 
@@ -157,7 +157,7 @@ if is_enabled "${WAIT_FOR_HATCHET_ENGINE:-0}"; then
   else
     if [ -z "$hatchet_wait_url" ]; then
       log "WAIT_FOR_HATCHET_ENGINE is enabled but no HATCHET wait target is configured."
-      exit 1
+      return 1 2>/dev/null || exit 1
     fi
 
     wait_for_http \