diff --git a/sshbytestream/ssh.go b/sshbytestream/ssh.go
index 3e5b328..ac18c35 100644
--- a/sshbytestream/ssh.go
+++ b/sshbytestream/ssh.go
@@ -10,6 +10,15 @@ import (
 	"sync"
 )
 
+type Error struct {
+	Stderr  []byte
+	WaitErr error
+}
+
+func (e Error) Error() string {
+	return fmt.Sprintf("ssh command failed with error: %v. stderr:\n%s\n", e.WaitErr, e.Stderr)
+}
+
 type SSHTransport struct {
 	Host         string
 	User         string
@@ -37,8 +46,13 @@ func (f IncomingReadWriteCloser) Write(p []byte) (n int, err error) {
 }
 
 func (f IncomingReadWriteCloser) Close() (err error) {
-	os.Exit(0)
-	return nil
+	if err = os.Stdin.Close(); err != nil {
+		return
+	}
+	if err = os.Stdout.Close(); err != nil {
+		return
+	}
+	return
 }
 
 func Outgoing(remote SSHTransport) (conn io.ReadWriteCloser, err error) {
@@ -68,20 +82,18 @@ func Outgoing(remote SSHTransport) (conn io.ReadWriteCloser, err error) {
 
 	var in io.WriteCloser
 	var out io.ReadCloser
-	var stderr io.Reader
 
 	if in, err = cmd.StdinPipe(); err != nil {
 		return
 	}
-
 	if out, err = cmd.StdoutPipe(); err != nil {
 		return
 	}
-	if stderr, err = cmd.StderrPipe(); err != nil {
-		return
-	}
 
-	f := ForkedSSHReadWriteCloser{
+	stderrBuf := bytes.NewBuffer(make([]byte, 0, 1024))
+	cmd.Stderr = stderrBuf
+
+	f := &ForkedSSHReadWriteCloser{
 		RemoteStdin:   in,
 		RemoteStdout:  out,
 		Cancel:        cancel,
@@ -96,13 +108,16 @@ func Outgoing(remote SSHTransport) (conn io.ReadWriteCloser, err error) {
 
 	go func() {
 		defer f.exitWaitGroup.Done()
-		var b bytes.Buffer
-		if _, err := io.Copy(&b, stderr); err != nil {
-			panic(err)
-		}
+
+		// stderr output is only relevant for errors if the exit code is non-zero
 		if err := cmd.Wait(); err != nil {
-			fmt.Fprintf(os.Stderr, "ssh command exited with error: %v. Stderr:\n%s\n", cmd.ProcessState, b)
-			//panic(err) TODO
+			f.SSHCommandError = Error{
+				Stderr:  stderrBuf.Bytes(),
+				WaitErr: err,
+			}
+			// fmt.Fprintf(os.Stderr, "ssh conn wait err: %#v\n", f.SSHCommandError.(Error))
+		} else {
+			f.SSHCommandError = nil
 		}
 	}()
 
@@ -110,23 +125,45 @@ func Outgoing(remote SSHTransport) (conn io.ReadWriteCloser, err error) {
 }
 
 type ForkedSSHReadWriteCloser struct {
-	RemoteStdin   io.Writer
-	RemoteStdout  io.Reader
-	Command       *exec.Cmd
-	Cancel        context.CancelFunc
-	exitWaitGroup *sync.WaitGroup
+	RemoteStdin     io.Writer
+	RemoteStdout    io.Reader
+	Command         *exec.Cmd
+	Cancel          context.CancelFunc
+	exitWaitGroup   *sync.WaitGroup
+	SSHCommandError error
 }
 
-func (f ForkedSSHReadWriteCloser) Read(p []byte) (n int, err error) {
-	return f.RemoteStdout.Read(p)
+func (f *ForkedSSHReadWriteCloser) Read(p []byte) (n int, err error) {
+	if f.SSHCommandError != nil {
+		return 0, f.SSHCommandError
+	}
+	if n, err = f.RemoteStdout.Read(p); err == io.EOF {
+		// the ssh command has exited, but we need to wait for post-portem to finish
+		f.exitWaitGroup.Wait()
+		if f.SSHCommandError != nil {
+			err = f.SSHCommandError
+		}
+	}
+	return
 }
 
-func (f ForkedSSHReadWriteCloser) Write(p []byte) (n int, err error) {
-	return f.RemoteStdin.Write(p)
+func (f *ForkedSSHReadWriteCloser) Write(p []byte) (n int, err error) {
+	if f.SSHCommandError != nil {
+		return 0, f.SSHCommandError
+	}
+	if n, err = f.RemoteStdin.Write(p); err == io.EOF {
+		// the ssh command has exited, but we need to wait for post-portem to finish
+		f.exitWaitGroup.Wait()
+		if f.SSHCommandError != nil {
+			err = f.SSHCommandError
+		}
+	}
+	return
 }
 
-func (f ForkedSSHReadWriteCloser) Close() (err error) {
+func (f *ForkedSSHReadWriteCloser) Close() (err error) {
+	// TODO should check SSHCommandError?
 	f.Cancel()
 	f.exitWaitGroup.Wait()
-	return nil
+	return f.SSHCommandError
 }