diff --git a/qubesadmin/backup/dispvm.py b/qubesadmin/backup/dispvm.py
index 1ee5f2a..f4c4acc 100644
--- a/qubesadmin/backup/dispvm.py
+++ b/qubesadmin/backup/dispvm.py
@@ -135,8 +135,8 @@ class RestoreInDisposableVM:
         self.backup_log_path = '/var/tmp/backup-restore.log'
         self.terminal_app = ('xterm', '-hold', '-title', 'Backup restore', '-e',
                              '/bin/sh', '-c',
-                             'exec "$0" "$@" 2>&1 | tee {}'.format(
-                                 self.backup_log_path))
+                             '("$0" "$@" 2>&1; echo exit code: $?) | tee {}'.
+                             format(self.backup_log_path))
         if args.auto_close:
             # filter-out '-hold'
             self.terminal_app = tuple(a for a in self.terminal_app
@@ -285,17 +285,37 @@ class RestoreInDisposableVM:
                     self.args.pass_file)
             args = self.prepare_inner_args()
             self.dispvm.tags.add(self.dispvm_tag)
-            # TODO: better error detection
             self.dispvm.run_with_args(*self.terminal_app,
                                       'qvm-backup-restore', *args,
                                       stdout=subprocess.DEVNULL,
                                       stderr=subprocess.DEVNULL)
-            return self.extract_log()
+            backup_log = self.extract_log()
+            last_line = backup_log.splitlines()[-1]
+            if not last_line.startswith(b'exit code:'):
+                raise qubesadmin.exc.BackupRestoreError(
+                    'qvm-backup-restore did not reported exit code',
+                    backup_log=backup_log)
+            try:
+                exit_code = int(last_line.split()[-1])
+            except ValueError:
+                raise qubesadmin.exc.BackupRestoreError(
+                    'qvm-backup-restore reported unexpected exit code',
+                    backup_log=backup_log)
+            if exit_code == 127:
+                raise qubesadmin.exc.QubesException(
+                    'qvm-backup-restore tool '
+                    'missing in {} template, install qubes-core-admin-client '
+                    'package there'.format(self.dispvm.template.template.name)
+                )
+            if exit_code != 0:
+                raise qubesadmin.exc.BackupRestoreError(
+                    'qvm-backup-restore failed with {}'.format(exit_code),
+                    backup_log=backup_log)
+            return backup_log
         except subprocess.CalledProcessError as e:
             if e.returncode == 127:
                 raise qubesadmin.exc.QubesException(
-                    'qvm-backup-restore tool or {} '
-                    'missing in {} template, install qubes-core-admin-client '
+                    '{} missing in {} template, install it there '
                     'package there'.format(self.terminal_app[0],
                                            self.dispvm.template.template.name)
                 )
diff --git a/qubesadmin/tests/backup/dispvm.py b/qubesadmin/tests/backup/dispvm.py
index 35eb23d..2ff6920 100644
--- a/qubesadmin/tests/backup/dispvm.py
+++ b/qubesadmin/tests/backup/dispvm.py
@@ -311,6 +311,7 @@ class TC_00_RestoreInDispVM(qubesadmin.tests.QubesTestCase):
                    'prepare_inner_args', 'extract_log', 'finalize_tags']
         for m in methods:
             setattr(obj, m, unittest.mock.Mock())
+        obj.extract_log.return_value = b'Some logs\nexit code: 0\n'
         obj.transfer_pass_file = unittest.mock.Mock()
         obj.prepare_inner_args.return_value = ['args']
         obj.terminal_app = ('terminal',)
@@ -348,6 +349,7 @@ class TC_00_RestoreInDispVM(qubesadmin.tests.QubesTestCase):
                    'transfer_pass_file']
         for m in methods:
             setattr(obj, m, unittest.mock.Mock())
+        obj.extract_log.return_value = b'Some logs\nexit code: 0\n'
         obj.prepare_inner_args.return_value = ['args']
         obj.terminal_app = ('terminal',)
         obj.dispvm = unittest.mock.Mock()
@@ -382,12 +384,11 @@ class TC_00_RestoreInDispVM(qubesadmin.tests.QubesTestCase):
                    'prepare_inner_args', 'extract_log', 'finalize_tags']
         for m in methods:
             setattr(obj, m, unittest.mock.Mock())
+        obj.extract_log.return_value = b'Some error\nexit code: 1\n'
         obj.transfer_pass_file = unittest.mock.Mock()
         obj.prepare_inner_args.return_value = ['args']
         obj.terminal_app = ('terminal',)
         obj.dispvm = unittest.mock.Mock()
-        obj.dispvm.run_with_args.side_effect = subprocess.CalledProcessError(
-            1, cmd='cmd')
         with tempfile.NamedTemporaryFile() as tmp:
             with unittest.mock.patch('qubesadmin.backup.dispvm.LOCKFILE',
                     tmp.name):