diff --git a/infer/lib/python/inferlib/capture/ant.py b/infer/lib/python/inferlib/capture/ant.py
index 808691383..3b71265af 100644
--- a/infer/lib/python/inferlib/capture/ant.py
+++ b/infer/lib/python/inferlib/capture/ant.py
@@ -6,6 +6,7 @@
 # of patent rights can be found in the PATENTS file in the same directory.
 
 import logging
+import os
 
 from . import util
 from inferlib import jwlib
@@ -78,6 +79,9 @@ class AntCapture:
         return calls
 
     def capture(self):
-        cmds = self.get_infer_commands(util.get_build_output(self.build_cmd))
-        clean_cmd = '%s clean' % self.build_cmd[0]
+        (code, verbose_out) = util.get_build_output(self.build_cmd)
+        if code != os.EX_OK:
+            return code
+        clean_cmd = '\'{}\' clean'.format(self.build_cmd[0])
+        cmds = self.get_infer_commands(verbose_out)
         return util.run_compilation_commands(cmds, clean_cmd)
diff --git a/infer/lib/python/inferlib/capture/buck.py b/infer/lib/python/inferlib/capture/buck.py
index 8e8c41e44..e5a9941d6 100644
--- a/infer/lib/python/inferlib/capture/buck.py
+++ b/infer/lib/python/inferlib/capture/buck.py
@@ -144,6 +144,8 @@ class BuckAnalyzer:
             [x for x in buck_results_cmd if x != KEEP_GOING_OPTION]
         proc = subprocess.Popen(buck_results_cmd, stdout=subprocess.PIPE)
         (buck_output, _) = proc.communicate()
+        if proc.returncode != 0:
+            return None
         # remove target name prefixes from each line and split them into a list
         out = [x.split(None, 1)[1] for x in buck_output.strip().split('\n')]
         return [os.path.dirname(x)
@@ -240,6 +242,9 @@ class BuckAnalyzer:
         if not ret == os.EX_OK and not self.keep_going:
             return ret
         result_paths = self._get_analysis_result_paths()
+        if result_paths is None:
+            # huho, the Buck command to extract results paths failed
+            return os.EX_SOFTWARE
         merged_reports_path = os.path.join(
             self.args.infer_out, config.JSON_REPORT_FILENAME)
         merged_deps_path = os.path.join(
diff --git a/infer/lib/python/inferlib/capture/gradle.py b/infer/lib/python/inferlib/capture/gradle.py
index 0681fff82..5aee3cc59 100644
--- a/infer/lib/python/inferlib/capture/gradle.py
+++ b/infer/lib/python/inferlib/capture/gradle.py
@@ -83,6 +83,9 @@ class GradleCapture:
 
     def capture(self):
         print('Running and capturing gradle compilation...')
-        cmds = self.get_infer_commands(util.get_build_output(self.build_cmd))
+        (code, verbose_out) = util.get_build_output(self.build_cmd)
+        if code != os.EX_OK:
+            return code
+        cmds = self.get_infer_commands(verbose_out)
         clean_cmd = '%s clean' % self.build_cmd[0]
         return util.run_compilation_commands(cmds, clean_cmd)
diff --git a/infer/lib/python/inferlib/capture/util.py b/infer/lib/python/inferlib/capture/util.py
index 32e950f89..dd807d2cd 100644
--- a/infer/lib/python/inferlib/capture/util.py
+++ b/infer/lib/python/inferlib/capture/util.py
@@ -25,7 +25,12 @@ def get_build_output(build_cmd):
     #  TODO make it return generator to be able to handle large builds
     proc = subprocess.Popen(build_cmd, stdout=subprocess.PIPE)
     (verbose_out_chars, _) = proc.communicate()
-    return utils.decode(verbose_out_chars).split('\n')
+    if proc.returncode != 0:
+        utils.stderr(
+            'ERROR: couldn\'t run compilation command `{}`'.format(build_cmd))
+        return (proc.returncode, None)
+    out = utils.decode(verbose_out_chars).split('\n')
+    return (os.EX_OK, out)
 
 
 def run_compilation_commands(cmds, clean_cmd):
@@ -33,7 +38,7 @@ def run_compilation_commands(cmds, clean_cmd):
     in case there is nothing to compile.
     """
     #  TODO call it in parallel
-    if len(cmds) == 0:
+    if cmds is None or len(cmds) == 0:
         utils.stderr('Nothing to compile. Try running `{}` first.'
                      .format(clean_cmd))
         return os.EX_NOINPUT