diff --git a/ctr/checkpoint.go b/ctr/checkpoint.go
index bc02097..622704b 100644
--- a/ctr/checkpoint.go
+++ b/ctr/checkpoint.go
@@ -43,7 +43,7 @@ func listCheckpoints(context *cli.Context) {
 		id = context.Args().First()
 	)
 	if id == "" {
-		fatal("container id cannot be empty", 1)
+		fatal("container id cannot be empty", ExitStatusMissingArg)
 	}
 	resp, err := c.ListCheckpoint(netcontext.Background(), &types.ListCheckpointRequest{
 		Id: id,
@@ -88,10 +88,10 @@ var createCheckpointCommand = cli.Command{
 			name        = context.Args().Get(1)
 		)
 		if containerID == "" {
-			fatal("container id at cannot be empty", 1)
+			fatal("container id at cannot be empty", ExitStatusMissingArg)
 		}
 		if name == "" {
-			fatal("checkpoint name cannot be empty", 1)
+			fatal("checkpoint name cannot be empty", ExitStatusMissingArg)
 		}
 		c := getClient(context)
 		if _, err := c.CreateCheckpoint(netcontext.Background(), &types.CreateCheckpointRequest{
@@ -118,10 +118,10 @@ var deleteCheckpointCommand = cli.Command{
 			name        = context.Args().Get(1)
 		)
 		if containerID == "" {
-			fatal("container id at cannot be empty", 1)
+			fatal("container id at cannot be empty", ExitStatusMissingArg)
 		}
 		if name == "" {
-			fatal("checkpoint name cannot be empty", 1)
+			fatal("checkpoint name cannot be empty", ExitStatusMissingArg)
 		}
 		c := getClient(context)
 		if _, err := c.DeleteCheckpoint(netcontext.Background(), &types.DeleteCheckpointRequest{
diff --git a/ctr/const.go b/ctr/const.go
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..3af854b
--- /dev/null
+++ b/ctr/const.go
@@ -0,0 +1,10 @@
+package main
+
+// ctr wide constants
+const (
+	// ExitStatusOK indicates successful completion
+	ExitStatusOK = 0
+
+	// ExitStatusMissingArg indicates failure due to missing argument(s)
+	ExitStatusMissingArg = 1
+)
diff --git a/ctr/container.go b/ctr/container.go
index 1e9b57c..58a5738 100644
--- a/ctr/container.go
+++ b/ctr/container.go
@@ -153,10 +153,10 @@ var startCommand = cli.Command{
 			path = context.Args().Get(1)
 		)
 		if path == "" {
-			fatal("bundle path cannot be empty", 1)
+			fatal("bundle path cannot be empty", ExitStatusMissingArg)
 		}
 		if id == "" {
-			fatal("container id cannot be empty", 1)
+			fatal("container id cannot be empty", ExitStatusMissingArg)
 		}
 		bpath, err := filepath.Abs(path)
 		if err != nil {
@@ -343,7 +343,7 @@ var pauseCommand = cli.Command{
 	Action: func(context *cli.Context) {
 		id := context.Args().First()
 		if id == "" {
-			fatal("container id cannot be empty", 1)
+			fatal("container id cannot be empty", ExitStatusMissingArg)
 		}
 		c := getClient(context)
 		_, err := c.UpdateContainer(netcontext.Background(), &types.UpdateContainerRequest{
@@ -363,7 +363,7 @@ var resumeCommand = cli.Command{
 	Action: func(context *cli.Context) {
 		id := context.Args().First()
 		if id == "" {
-			fatal("container id cannot be empty", 1)
+			fatal("container id cannot be empty", ExitStatusMissingArg)
 		}
 		c := getClient(context)
 		_, err := c.UpdateContainer(netcontext.Background(), &types.UpdateContainerRequest{
@@ -395,7 +395,7 @@ var killCommand = cli.Command{
 	Action: func(context *cli.Context) {
 		id := context.Args().First()
 		if id == "" {
-			fatal("container id cannot be empty", 1)
+			fatal("container id cannot be empty", ExitStatusMissingArg)
 		}
 		c := getClient(context)
 		if _, err := c.Signal(netcontext.Background(), &types.SignalRequest{