diff --git a/CHANGELOG.md b/CHANGELOG.md
index 95e73eea..c7f6213f 100644
--- a/CHANGELOG.md
+++ b/CHANGELOG.md
@@ -2,7 +2,10 @@
 
 ## 3.4.0 (Upcoming)
 
+* Clixon_backend now returns -1/255 on error instead of NULL. Useful for systemd restarts, for example.
+
 * Fixed bug that deletes running on startup if backup started with -m running.
+  When clixon starts again, running is lost.
   The error was that the running (or startup) configuration may fail when
   clixon backend starts. 
   The fix now makes a copy of running and copies it back on failure.
diff --git a/apps/backend/backend_main.c b/apps/backend/backend_main.c
index 0eec1203..7d722979 100644
--- a/apps/backend/backend_main.c
+++ b/apps/backend/backend_main.c
@@ -642,6 +642,7 @@ startup_mode_startup(clicon_handle h,
 int
 main(int argc, char **argv)
 {
+    int           retval = -1;
     char          c;
     int           zap;
     int           foreground;
@@ -965,9 +966,10 @@ main(int argc, char **argv)
 
     if (event_loop() < 0)
 	goto done;
+    retval = 0;
   done:
-    clicon_log(LOG_NOTICE, "%s: %u Terminated", __PROGRAM__, getpid());
+    clicon_log(LOG_NOTICE, "%s: %u Terminated retval:%d", __PROGRAM__, getpid(), retval);
     backend_terminate(h); /* Cannot use h after this */
 
-    return 0;
+    return retval;
 }