diff -r dfc154be2792 core.startup/nbproject/project.xml
--- a/core.startup/nbproject/project.xml	Wed Feb 29 06:29:24 2012 -0800
+++ b/core.startup/nbproject/project.xml	Thu Mar 01 10:44:04 2012 +0100
@@ -79,7 +79,7 @@
                     <build-prerequisite/>
                     <compile-dependency/>
                     <run-dependency>
-                        <specification-version>8.1</specification-version>
+                        <specification-version>8.23</specification-version>
                     </run-dependency>
                 </dependency>
                 <dependency>
diff -r dfc154be2792 core.startup/src/org/netbeans/core/startup/ModuleLifecycleManager.java
--- a/core.startup/src/org/netbeans/core/startup/ModuleLifecycleManager.java	Wed Feb 29 06:29:24 2012 -0800
+++ b/core.startup/src/org/netbeans/core/startup/ModuleLifecycleManager.java	Thu Mar 01 10:44:04 2012 +0100
@@ -67,6 +67,10 @@
 
     private final AtomicBoolean exiting = new AtomicBoolean(false);
     public void exit() {
+        exit(0);
+    }
+    
+    public void exit(int status) {
         if (exiting.getAndSet(true)) {
             return;
         }
@@ -90,7 +94,7 @@
                 Exceptions.printStackTrace(t);
             }
             if (System.getProperty("netbeans.close.no.exit") == null) {
-                TopSecurityManager.exit(0);
+                TopSecurityManager.exit(status);
             }
         }
     }
diff -r dfc154be2792 o.n.core/nbproject/project.xml
--- a/o.n.core/nbproject/project.xml	Wed Feb 29 06:29:24 2012 -0800
+++ b/o.n.core/nbproject/project.xml	Thu Mar 01 10:44:04 2012 +0100
@@ -160,7 +160,7 @@
                     <build-prerequisite/>
                     <compile-dependency/>
                     <run-dependency>
-                        <specification-version>8.17</specification-version>
+                        <specification-version>8.23</specification-version>
                     </run-dependency>
                 </dependency>
                 <dependency>
diff -r dfc154be2792 o.n.core/src/org/netbeans/core/NbLifecycleManager.java
--- a/o.n.core/src/org/netbeans/core/NbLifecycleManager.java	Wed Feb 29 06:29:24 2012 -0800
+++ b/o.n.core/src/org/netbeans/core/NbLifecycleManager.java	Thu Mar 01 10:44:04 2012 +0100
@@ -111,16 +111,28 @@
         Mutex.EVENT.readAccess(DO_EXIT);
     }
 
+    public void exit(int status) {
+        ExitActions action = new ExitActions(0, status);
+        Mutex.EVENT.readAccess(action);
+    }
+
     private static class ExitActions implements Runnable {
         private final int type;
+        private final int status;
         ExitActions(int type) {
             this.type = type;
+            this.status = 0;
+        }
+
+        ExitActions(int type, int status) {
+            this.type = type;
+            this.status = status;
         }
 
         public void run() {
             switch (type) {
                 case 0:
-                    doExit();
+                    doExit(status);
                     break;
                 case 1:
                     CLIHandler.stopServer();
@@ -132,12 +144,12 @@
                     }
                     if (Boolean.getBoolean("netbeans.close.when.invisible")) {
                         // hook to permit perf testing of time to *apparently* shut down
-                        TopSecurityManager.exit(0);
+                        TopSecurityManager.exit(status);
                     }
                     break;
                 case 2:
                     if (!Boolean.getBoolean("netbeans.close.no.exit")) { // NOI18N
-                        TopSecurityManager.exit(0);
+                        TopSecurityManager.exit(status);
                     }
                     break;
                 default:
@@ -156,7 +168,7 @@
         return doingExit;
     }
 
-    private static void doExit() {
+    private static void doExit(int status) {
         if (doingExit) {
             return ;
         }
@@ -164,7 +176,7 @@
         // save all open files
         try {
             if ( System.getProperty ("netbeans.close") != null || ExitDialog.showDialog() ) {
-                if (org.netbeans.core.startup.Main.getModuleSystem().shutDown(new ExitActions(1))) {
+                if (org.netbeans.core.startup.Main.getModuleSystem().shutDown(new ExitActions(1, status))) {
                     try {
                         try {
                             NbLoaderPool.store();
@@ -189,7 +201,7 @@
                     // exit is dispatched through that proprietary queue and it
                     // can be refused by security check. So, we need to replan
                     // to RequestProcessor to avoid security problems.
-                    Task exitTask = new Task(new ExitActions(2));
+                    Task exitTask = new Task(new ExitActions(2, status));
                     RequestProcessor.getDefault().post(exitTask);
                     exitTask.waitFinished();
                 }
diff -r dfc154be2792 openide.util/apichanges.xml
--- a/openide.util/apichanges.xml	Wed Feb 29 06:29:24 2012 -0800
+++ b/openide.util/apichanges.xml	Thu Mar 01 10:44:04 2012 +0100
@@ -51,6 +51,23 @@
     <apidef name="actions">Actions API</apidef>
 </apidefs>
 <changes>
+    <change id="exit-code">
+        <api name="util"/>
+        <summary>Exit with status code</summary>
+        <version major="8" minor="23"/>
+        <date year="2012" month="3" day="8"/>
+        <author login="jtulach"/>
+        <compatibility addition="yes" binary="compatible" source="compatible"/>
+        <description>
+            <p>
+                <a href="@TOP@/org/openide/LifecycleManager.html">LifecycleManager</a>
+                has new <code>exit</code> method allowing callers to specify
+                the exit code.
+            </p>
+        </description>
+        <class package="org.openide" name="LifecycleManager"/>
+        <issue number="209018"/>
+    </change>
     <change id="Messages.fields">
         <api name="util"/>
         <summary><code>@NbBundle.Messages</code> available on fields</summary>
diff -r dfc154be2792 openide.util/manifest.mf
--- a/openide.util/manifest.mf	Wed Feb 29 06:29:24 2012 -0800
+++ b/openide.util/manifest.mf	Thu Mar 01 10:44:04 2012 +0100
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 Manifest-Version: 1.0
 OpenIDE-Module: org.openide.util
 OpenIDE-Module-Localizing-Bundle: org/openide/util/Bundle.properties
-OpenIDE-Module-Specification-Version: 8.22
+OpenIDE-Module-Specification-Version: 8.23
 
diff -r dfc154be2792 openide.util/src/org/openide/LifecycleManager.java
--- a/openide.util/src/org/openide/LifecycleManager.java	Wed Feb 29 06:29:24 2012 -0800
+++ b/openide.util/src/org/openide/LifecycleManager.java	Thu Mar 01 10:44:04 2012 +0100
@@ -86,6 +86,17 @@
      */
     public abstract void exit();
 
+    /** Exit NetBeans with the given exit code.
+     * This method will return only if {@link java.lang.System#exit} fails, or if at least one component of the
+     * system refuses to exit (because it cannot be properly shut down).
+     * 
+     * @param status the exit code of the application
+     * @since 8.23
+     */
+    public void exit(int status) {
+        exit();
+    }
+
     /**
      * Request that the application restart immediately after next being shut down.
      * You may want to then call {@link #exit} to go ahead and restart now.
@@ -105,6 +116,10 @@
             System.exit(0);
         }
 
+        public void exit(int status) {
+            System.exit(status);
+        }
+
         public void saveAll() {
         }
     }