diff --git a/org.eclipse.jgit.pgm.test/src/org/eclipse/jgit/lib/CLIRepositoryTestCase.java b/org.eclipse.jgit.pgm.test/src/org/eclipse/jgit/lib/CLIRepositoryTestCase.java
index a3436a017..a6af077aa 100644
--- a/org.eclipse.jgit.pgm.test/src/org/eclipse/jgit/lib/CLIRepositoryTestCase.java
+++ b/org.eclipse.jgit.pgm.test/src/org/eclipse/jgit/lib/CLIRepositoryTestCase.java
@@ -54,7 +54,8 @@
 import org.eclipse.jgit.junit.JGitTestUtil;
 import org.eclipse.jgit.junit.LocalDiskRepositoryTestCase;
 import org.eclipse.jgit.pgm.CLIGitCommand;
-import org.eclipse.jgit.pgm.Die;
+import org.eclipse.jgit.pgm.CLIGitCommand.Result;
+import org.eclipse.jgit.pgm.TextBuiltin.TerminatedByHelpException;
 import org.junit.Before;
 
 public class CLIRepositoryTestCase extends LocalDiskRepositoryTestCase {
@@ -84,7 +85,7 @@ public void setUp() throws Exception {
 	protected String[] executeUnchecked(String... cmds) throws Exception {
 		List<String> result = new ArrayList<String>(cmds.length);
 		for (String cmd : cmds) {
-			result.addAll(CLIGitCommand.execute(cmd, db));
+			result.addAll(CLIGitCommand.executeUnchecked(cmd, db));
 		}
 		return result.toArray(new String[0]);
 	}
@@ -102,11 +103,13 @@ protected String[] executeUnchecked(String... cmds) throws Exception {
 	protected String[] execute(String... cmds) throws Exception {
 		List<String> result = new ArrayList<String>(cmds.length);
 		for (String cmd : cmds) {
-			List<String> out = CLIGitCommand.execute(cmd, db);
-			if (contains(out, "fatal: ")) {
-				throw new Die(toString(out));
+			Result r = CLIGitCommand.executeRaw(cmd, db);
+			if (r.ex instanceof TerminatedByHelpException) {
+				result.addAll(r.errLines());
+			} else if (r.ex != null) {
+				throw r.ex;
 			}
-			result.addAll(out);
+			result.addAll(r.outLines());
 		}
 		return result.toArray(new String[0]);
 	}
diff --git a/org.eclipse.jgit.pgm.test/src/org/eclipse/jgit/pgm/CLIGitCommand.java b/org.eclipse.jgit.pgm.test/src/org/eclipse/jgit/pgm/CLIGitCommand.java
index 6a12019d7..3f396563c 100644
--- a/org.eclipse.jgit.pgm.test/src/org/eclipse/jgit/pgm/CLIGitCommand.java
+++ b/org.eclipse.jgit.pgm.test/src/org/eclipse/jgit/pgm/CLIGitCommand.java
@@ -42,33 +42,31 @@
  */
 package org.eclipse.jgit.pgm;
 
+import static org.junit.Assert.assertNull;
+
 import java.io.ByteArrayOutputStream;
 import java.io.File;
+
+import java.io.IOException;
+import java.io.PrintWriter;
 import java.util.ArrayList;
 import java.util.List;
 
 import org.eclipse.jgit.internal.storage.file.FileRepository;
 import org.eclipse.jgit.lib.Repository;
 import org.eclipse.jgit.pgm.TextBuiltin.TerminatedByHelpException;
-import org.eclipse.jgit.pgm.internal.CLIText;
-import org.eclipse.jgit.pgm.opt.CmdLineParser;
-import org.eclipse.jgit.pgm.opt.SubcommandHandler;
 import org.eclipse.jgit.util.IO;
-import org.kohsuke.args4j.Argument;
 
-public class CLIGitCommand {
-	@Argument(index = 0, metaVar = "metaVar_command", required = true, handler = SubcommandHandler.class)
-	private TextBuiltin subcommand;
+public class CLIGitCommand extends Main {
 
-	@Argument(index = 1, metaVar = "metaVar_arg")
-	private List<String> arguments = new ArrayList<String>();
+	private final Result result;
 
-	public TextBuiltin getSubcommand() {
-		return subcommand;
-	}
+	private final Repository db;
 
-	public List<String> getArguments() {
-		return arguments;
+	public CLIGitCommand(Repository db) {
+		super();
+		this.db = db;
+		result = new Result();
 	}
 
 	/**
@@ -102,57 +100,82 @@ public static void main(String[] args) throws Exception {
 
 	public static List<String> execute(String str, Repository db)
 			throws Exception {
+		Result result = executeRaw(str, db);
+		return getOutput(result);
+	}
+
+	public static Result executeRaw(String str, Repository db)
+			throws Exception {
+		CLIGitCommand cmd = new CLIGitCommand(db);
+		cmd.run(str);
+		return cmd.result;
+	}
+
+	public static List<String> executeUnchecked(String str, Repository db)
+			throws Exception {
+		CLIGitCommand cmd = new CLIGitCommand(db);
 		try {
-			return IO.readLines(new String(rawExecute(str, db)));
-		} catch (Die e) {
-			return IO.readLines(CLIText.fatalError(e.getMessage()));
+			cmd.run(str);
+			return getOutput(cmd.result);
+		} catch (Throwable e) {
+			return cmd.result.errLines();
 		}
 	}
 
-	public static byte[] rawExecute(String str, Repository db)
+	private static List<String> getOutput(Result result) {
+		if (result.ex instanceof TerminatedByHelpException) {
+			return result.errLines();
+		}
+		return result.outLines();
+	}
+
+	private void run(String commandLine) throws Exception {
+		String[] argv = convertToMainArgs(commandLine);
+		try {
+			super.run(argv);
+		} catch (TerminatedByHelpException e) {
+			// this is not a failure, super called exit() on help
+		} finally {
+			writer.flush();
+		}
+	}
+
+	private static String[] convertToMainArgs(String str)
 			throws Exception {
 		String[] args = split(str);
-		if (!args[0].equalsIgnoreCase("git") || args.length < 2)
+		if (!args[0].equalsIgnoreCase("git") || args.length < 2) {
 			throw new IllegalArgumentException(
 					"Expected 'git <command> [<args>]', was:" + str);
+		}
 		String[] argv = new String[args.length - 1];
 		System.arraycopy(args, 1, argv, 0, args.length - 1);
+		return argv;
+	}
 
-		CLIGitCommand bean = new CLIGitCommand();
-		final CmdLineParser clp = new TestCmdLineParser(bean);
-		clp.parseArgument(argv);
+	@Override
+	PrintWriter createErrorWriter() {
+		return new PrintWriter(result.err);
+	}
 
-		final TextBuiltin cmd = bean.getSubcommand();
-		ByteArrayOutputStream baos = new ByteArrayOutputStream();
-		cmd.outs = baos;
-		ByteArrayOutputStream errs = new ByteArrayOutputStream();
-		cmd.errs = errs;
-		boolean seenHelp = TextBuiltin.containsHelp(argv);
-		if (cmd.requiresRepository())
-			cmd.init(db, null);
-		else
-			cmd.init(null, null);
-		try {
-			cmd.execute(bean.getArguments().toArray(
-					new String[bean.getArguments().size()]));
-		} catch (TerminatedByHelpException e) {
-			seenHelp = true;
-			// this is not a failure, command execution should just not happen
-		} finally {
-			if (cmd.outw != null) {
-				cmd.outw.flush();
-			}
-			if (cmd.errw != null) {
-				cmd.errw.flush();
-			}
-			if (seenHelp) {
-				return errs.toByteArray();
-			} else if (errs.size() > 0) {
-				// forward the errors to the standard err
-				System.err.print(errs.toString());
-			}
+	void init(final TextBuiltin cmd) throws IOException {
+		cmd.outs = result.out;
+		cmd.errs = result.err;
+		super.init(cmd);
+	}
+
+	@Override
+	protected Repository openGitDir(String aGitdir) throws IOException {
+		assertNull(aGitdir);
+		return db;
+	}
+
+	@Override
+	void exit(int status, Exception t) throws Exception {
+		if (t == null) {
+			t = new IllegalStateException(Integer.toString(status));
 		}
-		return baos.toByteArray();
+		result.ex = t;
+		throw t;
 	}
 
 	/**
@@ -210,14 +233,36 @@ else if (r.length() > 0) {
 		return list.toArray(new String[list.size()]);
 	}
 
-	static class TestCmdLineParser extends CmdLineParser {
-		public TestCmdLineParser(Object bean) {
-			super(bean);
+	public static class Result {
+		public final ByteArrayOutputStream out = new ByteArrayOutputStream();
+
+		public final ByteArrayOutputStream err = new ByteArrayOutputStream();
+
+		public Exception ex;
+
+		public byte[] outBytes() {
+			return out.toByteArray();
 		}
 
-		@Override
-		protected boolean containsHelp(String... args) {
-			return false;
+		public byte[] errBytes() {
+			return err.toByteArray();
+		}
+
+		public String outString() {
+			return out.toString();
+		}
+
+		public List<String> outLines() {
+			return IO.readLines(out.toString());
+		}
+
+		public String errString() {
+			return err.toString();
+		}
+
+		public List<String> errLines() {
+			return IO.readLines(err.toString());
 		}
 	}
+
 }
diff --git a/org.eclipse.jgit.pgm.test/tst/org/eclipse/jgit/pgm/ArchiveTest.java b/org.eclipse.jgit.pgm.test/tst/org/eclipse/jgit/pgm/ArchiveTest.java
index 2e02c762b..a503ffdad 100644
--- a/org.eclipse.jgit.pgm.test/tst/org/eclipse/jgit/pgm/ArchiveTest.java
+++ b/org.eclipse.jgit.pgm.test/tst/org/eclipse/jgit/pgm/ArchiveTest.java
@@ -87,21 +87,22 @@ public void setUp() throws Exception {
 
 	@Test
 	public void testEmptyArchive() throws Exception {
-		byte[] result = CLIGitCommand.rawExecute(
-				"git archive --format=zip " + emptyTree, db);
+		byte[] result = CLIGitCommand.executeRaw(
+				"git archive --format=zip " + emptyTree, db).outBytes();
 		assertArrayEquals(new String[0], listZipEntries(result));
 	}
 
 	@Test
 	public void testEmptyTar() throws Exception {
-		byte[] result = CLIGitCommand.rawExecute(
-				"git archive --format=tar " + emptyTree, db);
+		byte[] result = CLIGitCommand.executeRaw(
+				"git archive --format=tar " + emptyTree, db).outBytes();
 		assertArrayEquals(new String[0], listTarEntries(result));
 	}
 
 	@Test
 	public void testUnrecognizedFormat() throws Exception {
-		String[] expect = new String[] { "fatal: Unknown archive format 'nonsense'" };
+		String[] expect = new String[] {
+				"fatal: Unknown archive format 'nonsense'", "" };
 		String[] actual = executeUnchecked(
 				"git archive --format=nonsense " + emptyTree);
 		assertArrayEquals(expect, actual);
@@ -116,8 +117,8 @@ public void testArchiveWithFiles() throws Exception {
 		git.add().addFilepattern("c").call();
 		git.commit().setMessage("populate toplevel").call();
 
-		byte[] result = CLIGitCommand.rawExecute(
-				"git archive --format=zip HEAD", db);
+		byte[] result = CLIGitCommand.executeRaw(
+				"git archive --format=zip HEAD", db).outBytes();
 		assertArrayEquals(new String[] { "a", "c" },
 				listZipEntries(result));
 	}
@@ -131,8 +132,8 @@ private void commitGreeting() throws Exception {
 	@Test
 	public void testDefaultFormatIsTar() throws Exception {
 		commitGreeting();
-		byte[] result = CLIGitCommand.rawExecute(
-				"git archive HEAD", db);
+		byte[] result = CLIGitCommand.executeRaw(
+				"git archive HEAD", db).outBytes();
 		assertArrayEquals(new String[] { "greeting" },
 				listTarEntries(result));
 	}
@@ -298,8 +299,8 @@ public void testArchiveWithSubdir() throws Exception {
 		git.add().addFilepattern("b").call();
 		git.commit().setMessage("add subdir").call();
 
-		byte[] result = CLIGitCommand.rawExecute(
-				"git archive --format=zip master", db);
+		byte[] result = CLIGitCommand.executeRaw(
+				"git archive --format=zip master", db).outBytes();
 		String[] expect = { "a", "b.c", "b0c", "b/", "b/a", "b/b", "c" };
 		String[] actual = listZipEntries(result);
 
@@ -324,8 +325,8 @@ public void testTarWithSubdir() throws Exception {
 		git.add().addFilepattern("b").call();
 		git.commit().setMessage("add subdir").call();
 
-		byte[] result = CLIGitCommand.rawExecute(
-				"git archive --format=tar master", db);
+		byte[] result = CLIGitCommand.executeRaw(
+				"git archive --format=tar master", db).outBytes();
 		String[] expect = { "a", "b.c", "b0c", "b/", "b/a", "b/b", "c" };
 		String[] actual = listTarEntries(result);
 
@@ -345,8 +346,8 @@ private void commitBazAndFooSlashBar() throws Exception {
 	@Test
 	public void testArchivePrefixOption() throws Exception {
 		commitBazAndFooSlashBar();
-		byte[] result = CLIGitCommand.rawExecute(
-				"git archive --prefix=x/ --format=zip master", db);
+		byte[] result = CLIGitCommand.executeRaw(
+				"git archive --prefix=x/ --format=zip master", db).outBytes();
 		String[] expect = { "x/baz", "x/foo/", "x/foo/bar" };
 		String[] actual = listZipEntries(result);
 
@@ -358,8 +359,8 @@ public void testArchivePrefixOption() throws Exception {
 	@Test
 	public void testTarPrefixOption() throws Exception {
 		commitBazAndFooSlashBar();
-		byte[] result = CLIGitCommand.rawExecute(
-				"git archive --prefix=x/ --format=tar master", db);
+		byte[] result = CLIGitCommand.executeRaw(
+				"git archive --prefix=x/ --format=tar master", db).outBytes();
 		String[] expect = { "x/baz", "x/foo/", "x/foo/bar" };
 		String[] actual = listTarEntries(result);
 
@@ -377,8 +378,8 @@ private void commitFoo() throws Exception {
 	@Test
 	public void testPrefixDoesNotNormalizeDoubleSlash() throws Exception {
 		commitFoo();
-		byte[] result = CLIGitCommand.rawExecute(
-				"git archive --prefix=x// --format=zip master", db);
+		byte[] result = CLIGitCommand.executeRaw(
+				"git archive --prefix=x// --format=zip master", db).outBytes();
 		String[] expect = { "x//foo" };
 		assertArrayEquals(expect, listZipEntries(result));
 	}
@@ -386,8 +387,8 @@ public void testPrefixDoesNotNormalizeDoubleSlash() throws Exception {
 	@Test
 	public void testPrefixDoesNotNormalizeDoubleSlashInTar() throws Exception {
 		commitFoo();
-		byte[] result = CLIGitCommand.rawExecute(
-				"git archive --prefix=x// --format=tar master", db);
+		byte[] result = CLIGitCommand.executeRaw(
+				"git archive --prefix=x// --format=tar master", db).outBytes();
 		String[] expect = { "x//foo" };
 		assertArrayEquals(expect, listTarEntries(result));
 	}
@@ -404,8 +405,8 @@ public void testPrefixDoesNotNormalizeDoubleSlashInTar() throws Exception {
 	@Test
 	public void testPrefixWithoutTrailingSlash() throws Exception {
 		commitBazAndFooSlashBar();
-		byte[] result = CLIGitCommand.rawExecute(
-				"git archive --prefix=my- --format=zip master", db);
+		byte[] result = CLIGitCommand.executeRaw(
+				"git archive --prefix=my- --format=zip master", db).outBytes();
 		String[] expect = { "my-baz", "my-foo/", "my-foo/bar" };
 		String[] actual = listZipEntries(result);
 
@@ -417,8 +418,8 @@ public void testPrefixWithoutTrailingSlash() throws Exception {
 	@Test
 	public void testTarPrefixWithoutTrailingSlash() throws Exception {
 		commitBazAndFooSlashBar();
-		byte[] result = CLIGitCommand.rawExecute(
-				"git archive --prefix=my- --format=tar master", db);
+		byte[] result = CLIGitCommand.executeRaw(
+				"git archive --prefix=my- --format=tar master", db).outBytes();
 		String[] expect = { "my-baz", "my-foo/", "my-foo/bar" };
 		String[] actual = listTarEntries(result);
 
@@ -437,8 +438,8 @@ public void testArchiveIncludesSubmoduleDirectory() throws Exception {
 		git.submoduleAdd().setURI("./.").setPath("b").call().close();
 		git.commit().setMessage("add submodule").call();
 
-		byte[] result = CLIGitCommand.rawExecute(
-				"git archive --format=zip master", db);
+		byte[] result = CLIGitCommand.executeRaw(
+				"git archive --format=zip master", db).outBytes();
 		String[] expect = { ".gitmodules", "a", "b/", "c" };
 		String[] actual = listZipEntries(result);
 
@@ -457,8 +458,8 @@ public void testTarIncludesSubmoduleDirectory() throws Exception {
 		git.submoduleAdd().setURI("./.").setPath("b").call().close();
 		git.commit().setMessage("add submodule").call();
 
-		byte[] result = CLIGitCommand.rawExecute(
-				"git archive --format=tar master", db);
+		byte[] result = CLIGitCommand.executeRaw(
+				"git archive --format=tar master", db).outBytes();
 		String[] expect = { ".gitmodules", "a", "b/", "c" };
 		String[] actual = listTarEntries(result);
 
@@ -487,8 +488,8 @@ public void testArchivePreservesMode() throws Exception {
 
 		git.commit().setMessage("three files with different modes").call();
 
-		byte[] zipData = CLIGitCommand.rawExecute(
-				"git archive --format=zip master", db);
+		byte[] zipData = CLIGitCommand.executeRaw(
+				"git archive --format=zip master", db).outBytes();
 		writeRaw("zip-with-modes.zip", zipData);
 		assertContainsEntryWithMode("zip-with-modes.zip", "-rw-", "plain");
 		assertContainsEntryWithMode("zip-with-modes.zip", "-rwx", "executable");
@@ -516,8 +517,8 @@ public void testTarPreservesMode() throws Exception {
 
 		git.commit().setMessage("three files with different modes").call();
 
-		byte[] archive = CLIGitCommand.rawExecute(
-				"git archive --format=tar master", db);
+		byte[] archive = CLIGitCommand.executeRaw(
+				"git archive --format=tar master", db).outBytes();
 		writeRaw("with-modes.tar", archive);
 		assertTarContainsEntry("with-modes.tar", "-rw-r--r--", "plain");
 		assertTarContainsEntry("with-modes.tar", "-rwxr-xr-x", "executable");
@@ -539,8 +540,8 @@ public void testArchiveWithLongFilename() throws Exception {
 		git.add().addFilepattern("1234567890").call();
 		git.commit().setMessage("file with long name").call();
 
-		byte[] result = CLIGitCommand.rawExecute(
-				"git archive --format=zip HEAD", db);
+		byte[] result = CLIGitCommand.executeRaw(
+				"git archive --format=zip HEAD", db).outBytes();
 		assertArrayEquals(l.toArray(new String[l.size()]),
 				listZipEntries(result));
 	}
@@ -559,8 +560,8 @@ public void testTarWithLongFilename() throws Exception {
 		git.add().addFilepattern("1234567890").call();
 		git.commit().setMessage("file with long name").call();
 
-		byte[] result = CLIGitCommand.rawExecute(
-				"git archive --format=tar HEAD", db);
+		byte[] result = CLIGitCommand.executeRaw(
+				"git archive --format=tar HEAD", db).outBytes();
 		assertArrayEquals(l.toArray(new String[l.size()]),
 				listTarEntries(result));
 	}
@@ -572,8 +573,8 @@ public void testArchivePreservesContent() throws Exception {
 		git.add().addFilepattern("xyzzy").call();
 		git.commit().setMessage("add file with content").call();
 
-		byte[] result = CLIGitCommand.rawExecute(
-				"git archive --format=zip HEAD", db);
+		byte[] result = CLIGitCommand.executeRaw(
+				"git archive --format=zip HEAD", db).outBytes();
 		assertArrayEquals(new String[] { payload },
 				zipEntryContent(result, "xyzzy"));
 	}
@@ -585,8 +586,8 @@ public void testTarPreservesContent() throws Exception {
 		git.add().addFilepattern("xyzzy").call();
 		git.commit().setMessage("add file with content").call();
 
-		byte[] result = CLIGitCommand.rawExecute(
-				"git archive --format=tar HEAD", db);
+		byte[] result = CLIGitCommand.executeRaw(
+				"git archive --format=tar HEAD", db).outBytes();
 		assertArrayEquals(new String[] { payload },
 				tarEntryContent(result, "xyzzy"));
 	}
diff --git a/org.eclipse.jgit.pgm/src/org/eclipse/jgit/pgm/Main.java b/org.eclipse.jgit.pgm/src/org/eclipse/jgit/pgm/Main.java
index e31306b21..d701f22c3 100644
--- a/org.eclipse.jgit.pgm/src/org/eclipse/jgit/pgm/Main.java
+++ b/org.eclipse.jgit.pgm/src/org/eclipse/jgit/pgm/Main.java
@@ -90,14 +90,23 @@ public class Main {
 	@Argument(index = 1, metaVar = "metaVar_arg")
 	private List<String> arguments = new ArrayList<String>();
 
+	PrintWriter writer;
+
+	/**
+	 *
+	 */
+	public Main() {
+		HttpTransport.setConnectionFactory(new HttpClientConnectionFactory());
+	}
+
 	/**
 	 * Execute the command line.
 	 *
 	 * @param argv
 	 *            arguments.
+	 * @throws Exception
 	 */
-	public static void main(final String[] argv) {
-		HttpTransport.setConnectionFactory(new HttpClientConnectionFactory());
+	public static void main(final String[] argv) throws Exception {
 		new Main().run(argv);
 	}
 
@@ -116,8 +125,10 @@ public static void main(final String[] argv) {
 	 *
 	 * @param argv
 	 *            arguments.
+	 * @throws Exception
 	 */
-	protected void run(final String[] argv) {
+	protected void run(final String[] argv) throws Exception {
+		writer = createErrorWriter();
 		try {
 			if (!installConsole()) {
 				AwtAuthenticator.install();
@@ -126,12 +137,14 @@ protected void run(final String[] argv) {
 			configureHttpProxy();
 			execute(argv);
 		} catch (Die err) {
-			if (err.isAborted())
-				System.exit(1);
-			System.err.println(CLIText.fatalError(err.getMessage()));
-			if (showStackTrace)
-				err.printStackTrace();
-			System.exit(128);
+			if (err.isAborted()) {
+				exit(1, err);
+			}
+			writer.println(CLIText.fatalError(err.getMessage()));
+			if (showStackTrace) {
+				err.printStackTrace(writer);
+			}
+			exit(128, err);
 		} catch (Exception err) {
 			// Try to detect errno == EPIPE and exit normally if that happens
 			// There may be issues with operating system versions and locale,
@@ -139,46 +152,54 @@ protected void run(final String[] argv) {
 			// under other circumstances.
 			if (err.getClass() == IOException.class) {
 				// Linux, OS X
-				if (err.getMessage().equals("Broken pipe")) //$NON-NLS-1$
-					System.exit(0);
+				if (err.getMessage().equals("Broken pipe")) { //$NON-NLS-1$
+					exit(0, err);
+				}
 				// Windows
-				if (err.getMessage().equals("The pipe is being closed")) //$NON-NLS-1$
-					System.exit(0);
+				if (err.getMessage().equals("The pipe is being closed")) { //$NON-NLS-1$
+					exit(0, err);
+				}
 			}
 			if (!showStackTrace && err.getCause() != null
-					&& err instanceof TransportException)
-				System.err.println(CLIText.fatalError(err.getCause().getMessage()));
+					&& err instanceof TransportException) {
+				writer.println(CLIText.fatalError(err.getCause().getMessage()));
+			}
 
 			if (err.getClass().getName().startsWith("org.eclipse.jgit.errors.")) { //$NON-NLS-1$
-				System.err.println(CLIText.fatalError(err.getMessage()));
-				if (showStackTrace)
+				writer.println(CLIText.fatalError(err.getMessage()));
+				if (showStackTrace) {
 					err.printStackTrace();
-				System.exit(128);
+				}
+				exit(128, err);
 			}
 			err.printStackTrace();
-			System.exit(1);
+			exit(1, err);
 		}
 		if (System.out.checkError()) {
-			System.err.println(CLIText.get().unknownIoErrorStdout);
-			System.exit(1);
+			writer.println(CLIText.get().unknownIoErrorStdout);
+			exit(1, null);
 		}
-		if (System.err.checkError()) {
+		if (writer.checkError()) {
 			// No idea how to present an error here, most likely disk full or
 			// broken pipe
-			System.exit(1);
+			exit(1, null);
 		}
 	}
 
+	PrintWriter createErrorWriter() {
+		return new PrintWriter(System.err);
+	}
+
 	private void execute(final String[] argv) throws Exception {
 		final CmdLineParser clp = new SubcommandLineParser(this);
-		PrintWriter writer = new PrintWriter(System.err);
+
 		try {
 			clp.parseArgument(argv);
 		} catch (CmdLineException err) {
 			if (argv.length > 0 && !help && !version) {
 				writer.println(CLIText.fatalError(err.getMessage()));
 				writer.flush();
-				System.exit(1);
+				exit(1, err);
 			}
 		}
 
@@ -194,22 +215,24 @@ private void execute(final String[] argv) throws Exception {
 				writer.println(CLIText.get().mostCommonlyUsedCommandsAre);
 				final CommandRef[] common = CommandCatalog.common();
 				int width = 0;
-				for (final CommandRef c : common)
+				for (final CommandRef c : common) {
 					width = Math.max(width, c.getName().length());
+				}
 				width += 2;
 
 				for (final CommandRef c : common) {
 					writer.print(' ');
 					writer.print(c.getName());
-					for (int i = c.getName().length(); i < width; i++)
+					for (int i = c.getName().length(); i < width; i++) {
 						writer.print(' ');
+					}
 					writer.print(CLIText.get().resourceBundle().getString(c.getUsage()));
 					writer.println();
 				}
 				writer.println();
 			}
 			writer.flush();
-			System.exit(1);
+			exit(1, null);
 		}
 
 		if (version) {
@@ -218,20 +241,38 @@ private void execute(final String[] argv) throws Exception {
 		}
 
 		final TextBuiltin cmd = subcommand;
-		if (cmd.requiresRepository())
-			cmd.init(openGitDir(gitdir), null);
-		else
-			cmd.init(null, gitdir);
+		init(cmd);
 		try {
 			cmd.execute(arguments.toArray(new String[arguments.size()]));
 		} finally {
-			if (cmd.outw != null)
+			if (cmd.outw != null) {
 				cmd.outw.flush();
-			if (cmd.errw != null)
+			}
+			if (cmd.errw != null) {
 				cmd.errw.flush();
+			}
 		}
 	}
 
+	void init(final TextBuiltin cmd) throws IOException {
+		if (cmd.requiresRepository()) {
+			cmd.init(openGitDir(gitdir), null);
+		} else {
+			cmd.init(null, gitdir);
+		}
+	}
+
+	/**
+	 * @param status
+	 * @param t
+	 *            can be {@code null}
+	 * @throws Exception
+	 */
+	void exit(int status, Exception t) throws Exception {
+		writer.flush();
+		System.exit(status);
+	}
+
 	/**
 	 * Evaluate the {@code --git-dir} option and open the repository.
 	 *
@@ -281,7 +322,7 @@ private static void install(final String name)
 			throws IllegalAccessException, InvocationTargetException,
 			NoSuchMethodException, ClassNotFoundException {
 		try {
-		Class.forName(name).getMethod("install").invoke(null); //$NON-NLS-1$
+			Class.forName(name).getMethod("install").invoke(null); //$NON-NLS-1$
 		} catch (InvocationTargetException e) {
 			if (e.getCause() instanceof RuntimeException)
 				throw (RuntimeException) e.getCause();