diff --git a/confluent_client/bin/nodeconfig b/confluent_client/bin/nodeconfig
index 78f46680..170fe335 100755
--- a/confluent_client/bin/nodeconfig
+++ b/confluent_client/bin/nodeconfig
@@ -187,8 +187,10 @@ if setmode:
     for path in updatebypath:
         for fr in session.update('/noderange/{0}/{1}'.format(noderange, path),
                                 updatebypath[path]):
-            for node in fr['databynode']:
+            rcode |= client.printerror(fr)
+            for node in fr.get('databynode', []):
                 r = fr['databynode'][node]
+                exitcode |= client.printerror(r, node)
                 if 'error' in r:
                     sys.stderr.write(node + ': ' + r['error'] + '\n')
                     if 'errorcode' in r:
diff --git a/confluent_client/bin/nodefirmware b/confluent_client/bin/nodefirmware
index 5ac9eba9..fa033961 100755
--- a/confluent_client/bin/nodefirmware
+++ b/confluent_client/bin/nodefirmware
@@ -35,18 +35,6 @@ import confluent.screensqueeze as sq
 
 exitcode = 0
 
-def printerror(res, node=None):
-    global exitcode
-    if 'errorcode' in res:
-        exitcode = res['errorcode']
-    if 'error' in res:
-        if node:
-            sys.stderr.write('{0}: {1}\n'.format(node, res['error']))
-        else:
-            sys.stderr.write('{0}\n'.format(res['error']))
-        if 'errorcode' not in res:
-            exitcode = 1
-
 
 def printfirm(node, prefix, data):
     if 'model' in data:
@@ -144,11 +132,11 @@ def show_firmware(session):
         for res in session.read(
                 '/noderange/{0}/inventory/firmware/all/{1}'.format(
                     noderange, component)):
-            printerror(res)
+            exitcode |= client.printerror(res)
             if 'databynode' not in res:
                 continue
             for node in res['databynode']:
-                printerror(res['databynode'][node], node)
+                exitcode |= client.printerror(res['databynode'][node], node)
                 if 'firmware' not in res['databynode'][node]:
                     continue
                 for inv in res['databynode'][node]['firmware']:
diff --git a/confluent_client/confluent/client.py b/confluent_client/confluent/client.py
index 42face02..7706da63 100644
--- a/confluent_client/confluent/client.py
+++ b/confluent_client/confluent/client.py
@@ -33,6 +33,20 @@ _attraliases = {
     'bmcpass': 'secret.hardwaremanagementpassword',
 }
 
+
+def printerror(res, node=None):
+    if 'errorcode' in res:
+        exitcode = res['errorcode']
+    if 'error' in res:
+        if node:
+            sys.stderr.write('{0}: {1}\n'.format(node, res['error']))
+        else:
+            sys.stderr.write('{0}\n'.format(res['error']))
+        if 'errorcode' not in res:
+            exitcode = 1
+    return exitcode
+
+
 def cprint(txt):
     print(txt)
     sys.stdout.flush()