diff --git a/bin/lein b/bin/lein
index f9725444..f9fb803c 100755
--- a/bin/lein
+++ b/bin/lein
@@ -323,12 +323,18 @@ else
           stty icanon echo > /dev/null 2>&1
         fi
 
+        ## TODO: [ -r "$TRAMPOLINE_FILE" ] may be redundant? A trampoline file
+        ## is always generated these days.
         if [ -r "$TRAMPOLINE_FILE" ] && [ "$LEIN_TRAMPOLINE_WARMUP" = "" ]; then
             TRAMPOLINE="$(cat $TRAMPOLINE_FILE)"
             if [ "$INPUT_CHECKSUM" = "" ]; then
                 rm $TRAMPOLINE_FILE
             fi
-            exec sh -c "exec $TRAMPOLINE"
+            if [ "$TRAMPOLINE" = "" ]; then
+                exit $EXIT_CODE
+            else
+                exec sh -c "exec $TRAMPOLINE"
+            fi
         else
             exit $EXIT_CODE
         fi