diff --git a/sceptre/cli/helpers.py b/sceptre/cli/helpers.py
index 69edba63f..ffce230f3 100644
--- a/sceptre/cli/helpers.py
+++ b/sceptre/cli/helpers.py
@@ -1,5 +1,4 @@
 import logging
-import sys
 from functools import partial, wraps
 
 import json
@@ -30,14 +29,14 @@ def catch_exceptions(func):
     def decorated(*args, **kwargs):
         """
         Invokes ``func``, catches expected errors, prints the error message and
-        exits sceptre with a non-zero exit code.
+        re-raises.
         """
         try:
             return func(*args, **kwargs)
         except (SceptreException, BotoCoreError, ClientError, Boto3Error,
                 TemplateError) as error:
             write(error)
-            sys.exit(1)
+            raise
 
     return decorated
 
diff --git a/tests/test_cli.py b/tests/test_cli.py
index d13d43716..3ea77bbd4 100644
--- a/tests/test_cli.py
+++ b/tests/test_cli.py
@@ -16,9 +16,8 @@
 from sceptre.plan.actions import StackActions
 from sceptre.stack_status import StackStatus
 from sceptre.cli.helpers import setup_logging, write, ColouredFormatter
-from sceptre.cli.helpers import CustomJsonEncoder, catch_exceptions
+from sceptre.cli.helpers import CustomJsonEncoder
 from botocore.exceptions import ClientError
-from sceptre.exceptions import SceptreException
 
 
 class TestCli(object):
@@ -55,15 +54,6 @@ def teardown_method(self, test_method):
         self.patcher_ConfigReader.stop()
         self.patcher_StackActions.stop()
 
-    @patch("sys.exit")
-    def test_catch_excecptions(self, mock_exit):
-        @catch_exceptions
-        def raises_exception():
-            raise SceptreException()
-
-        raises_exception()
-        mock_exit.assert_called_once_with(1)
-
     @pytest.mark.parametrize("command,files,output", [
         # one --var option
         (