diff --git a/packages/node_modules/node-red/red.js b/packages/node_modules/node-red/red.js
index 421189118..786f86a2b 100755
--- a/packages/node_modules/node-red/red.js
+++ b/packages/node_modules/node-red/red.js
@@ -114,7 +114,7 @@ if (parsedArgs.settings) {
     } else {
         if (!parsedArgs.userDir && !(process.env.HOME || process.env.USERPROFILE || process.env.HOMEPATH)) {
             console.log("User has no Home Directory and no userDir set")
-            process.exit()
+            process.exit(1)
         }
         var userDir = parsedArgs.userDir || path.join(process.env.HOME || process.env.USERPROFILE || process.env.HOMEPATH,".node-red");
         var userSettingsFile = path.join(userDir,"settings.js");
@@ -321,6 +321,11 @@ httpsPromise.then(function(startupHttps) {
         settings.userDir = parsedArgs.userDir;
     }
 
+    if (!settings.userDir) {
+        console.log("No Node-RED userDir set, exiting")
+        process.exit(1)
+    }
+
     try {
         RED.init(server,settings);
     } catch(err) {