diff --git a/hawkbit-repository/hawkbit-repository-jpa-init/src/main/java/org/eclipse/hawkbit/repository/jpa/init/HawkbitFlywayDbInit.java b/hawkbit-repository/hawkbit-repository-jpa-init/src/main/java/org/eclipse/hawkbit/repository/jpa/init/HawkbitFlywayDbInit.java
index 3e363d8f6..5c225bef5 100644
--- a/hawkbit-repository/hawkbit-repository-jpa-init/src/main/java/org/eclipse/hawkbit/repository/jpa/init/HawkbitFlywayDbInit.java
+++ b/hawkbit-repository/hawkbit-repository-jpa-init/src/main/java/org/eclipse/hawkbit/repository/jpa/init/HawkbitFlywayDbInit.java
@@ -14,6 +14,10 @@ import java.util.regex.Pattern;
 
 import lombok.extern.slf4j.Slf4j;
 import org.flywaydb.core.Flyway;
+import org.flywaydb.core.api.CoreErrorCode;
+import org.flywaydb.core.api.ErrorCode;
+import org.flywaydb.core.api.FlywayException;
+import org.flywaydb.core.api.exception.FlywayValidateException;
 
 /**
  * hawkBit Flyway db init configuration. Could be configured with "hawkbit.db.*" or "spring.database.*" environment or system properties,
@@ -35,24 +39,41 @@ import org.flywaydb.core.Flyway;
  * There are two modes:
  * <ul>
  *     <li>migrate: migrate the database, only when started with parameter with key <code>mode</code> (environment or system property)</li>
- *     <li>validate: validate the database, default, only validates db and throws {@link org.flywaydb.core.api.exception.FlywayValidateException} if not in sync</li>
+ *     <li>validate: validate the database, default, only validates db exits with error code if not in sync or configuration is bad</li>
  * </ul>
  * Note: could also be configured using default flyway env properties
+ * <p/>
+ * Exit codes:
+ * <ul>
+ *     <li>{@link HawkbitFlywayDbInit#EXIT_CODE_SUCCESS} (0): success (on validate - db schema is valid)</li>
+ *     <li>{@link HawkbitFlywayDbInit#EXIT_CODE_FAILED} (1): failed (on validate this means not the db schema is invalid but there is other
+ *            error - e.g. db connection failed)(</li>
+ *     <li>{@link HawkbitFlywayDbInit#EXIT_CODE_VALIDATE_FAILED} (2): only on validate - validation failed, e.d. db schema doesn't match
+ *            the target schema. It corresponds on {@link org.flywaydb.core.api.exception.FlywayValidateException}</li>
+ * </ul>
+ * Note: {@link HawkbitFlywayDbInit#EXIT_CODE_VALIDATE_FAILED} doesn't really mean it is an error, it in general is most likely that the state of the db schema - it doesn't match the target versions.
  */
 @Slf4j
 public class HawkbitFlywayDbInit {
 
+    public static final int EXIT_CODE_SUCCESS = 0;
+    public static final int EXIT_CODE_FAILED = 1; // default exit code when error happens
+    public static final int EXIT_CODE_VALIDATE_FAILED = 2;
+
     public static final String MIGRATE = "migrate";
+    public static final String VALIDATE = "validate";
 
-    public static final String MODE = prop("mode", "validate");
+    private static final String MODE = prop("mode", VALIDATE);
 
-    public static final String URL = prop("url", "jdbc:h2:mem:hawkbit;MODE=LEGACY;");
-    public static final String USER = prop("username", "sa");
-    public static final String PASSWORD = prop("password", "");
-    protected static final String TABLE = prop("table", "schema_version");
+    private static final String URL = prop("url", "jdbc:h2:mem:hawkbit;MODE=LEGACY;");
+    private static final String USER = prop("username", "sa");
+    private static final String PASSWORD = prop("password", "");
+    private static final String TABLE = prop("table", "schema_version");
 
-    public static final String[] LOCATIONS = prop("locations", "db/migration").split(",");
-    public static final String SQL_MIGRATION_SUFFIXES = prop("sql-migration-suffixes", suffix(URL)) + ".sql";
+    private static final String[] LOCATIONS = prop("locations", "db/migration").split(",");
+    private static final String SQL_MIGRATION_SUFFIXES = prop("sql-migration-suffixes", suffix(URL)) + ".sql";
+
+    private static final String EXCEPTION_MESSAGE = "Exception message: {}";
 
     public static void main(final String[] args) {
         final Flyway flyway = Flyway.configure()
@@ -69,10 +90,40 @@ public class HawkbitFlywayDbInit {
                 MODE, USER, URL, TABLE, LOCATIONS, SQL_MIGRATION_SUFFIXES);
 
         if (MODE.equals(MIGRATE)) {
-            flyway.migrate();
+            try {
+                flyway.migrate();
+            } catch (final FlywayException e) {
+                final ErrorCode errorCode = e.getErrorCode();
+                final int errorCodeOrdinal = errorCode instanceof CoreErrorCode coreErrorCode ? coreErrorCode.ordinal() : -1;
+                log.error("Flyway migrate failed: error code = {}, error code ordinal = {}", errorCode, errorCodeOrdinal);
+                log.debug(EXCEPTION_MESSAGE, e.getMessage());
+                System.exit(EXIT_CODE_FAILED); // migration failed
+            } catch (final Throwable e) {
+                log.error("Flyway validate failed (undeclared exception): ", e);
+                System.exit(EXIT_CODE_FAILED); // migration failed with undeclared exception
+            }
         } else {
-            flyway.validate();
+            try {
+                flyway.validate();
+            } catch (final FlywayValidateException e) {
+                final ErrorCode errorCode = e.getErrorCode();
+                final int errorCodeOrdinal = errorCode instanceof CoreErrorCode coreErrorCode ? coreErrorCode.ordinal() : -1;
+                log.error("Flyway validate failed (FlywayValidateException): error code = {}, error code ordinal = {}", errorCode, errorCodeOrdinal);
+                log.info(EXCEPTION_MESSAGE, e.getMessage());
+                System.exit(EXIT_CODE_VALIDATE_FAILED); // validation failed, not real error but tables are not valid
+            } catch (final FlywayException e) {
+                final ErrorCode errorCode = e.getErrorCode();
+                final int errorCodeOrdinal = errorCode instanceof CoreErrorCode coreErrorCode ? coreErrorCode.ordinal() : -1;
+                log.error("Flyway validate failed: error code = {}, error code ordinal = {}", errorCode, errorCodeOrdinal);
+                log.info(EXCEPTION_MESSAGE, e.getMessage());
+                System.exit(EXIT_CODE_FAILED); // validation failed
+            } catch (final Throwable e) {
+                log.error("Flyway validate failed (undeclared exception): ", e);
+                System.exit(EXIT_CODE_FAILED); // validation failed with undeclared exception
+            }
         }
+
+        System.exit(EXIT_CODE_SUCCESS);
     }
 
     private static String prop(final String key, final String defaultValue) {