diff --git a/tools/aapt/Command.cpp b/tools/aapt/Command.cpp
index b98925b..c3a0930 100644
--- a/tools/aapt/Command.cpp
+++ b/tools/aapt/Command.cpp
@@ -1852,7 +1852,11 @@
 
     String8 input(bundle->getSingleCrunchInputFile());
     String8 output(bundle->getSingleCrunchOutputFile());
-    return preProcessImageToCache(bundle, input, output);
+    if (preProcessImageToCache(bundle, input, output) != NO_ERROR) {
+        // we can't return the status_t as it gets truncate to the lower 8 bits.
+        return 42;
+    }
+    return NO_ERROR;
 }
 
 char CONSOLE_DATA[2925] = {