diff --git a/apply.c b/apply.c
index c858ca4be9..6e0e992839 100644
--- a/apply.c
+++ b/apply.c
@@ -55,9 +55,9 @@ int parse_ignorewhitespace_option(struct apply_state *state,
 	return error(_("unrecognized whitespace ignore option '%s'"), option);
 }
 
-void init_apply_state(struct apply_state *state,
-		      const char *prefix,
-		      struct lock_file *lock_file)
+int init_apply_state(struct apply_state *state,
+		     const char *prefix,
+		     struct lock_file *lock_file)
 {
 	memset(state, 0, sizeof(*state));
 	state->prefix = prefix;
@@ -79,9 +79,10 @@ void init_apply_state(struct apply_state *state,
 
 	git_apply_config();
 	if (apply_default_whitespace && parse_whitespace_option(state, apply_default_whitespace))
-		exit(1);
+		return -1;
 	if (apply_default_ignorewhitespace && parse_ignorewhitespace_option(state, apply_default_ignorewhitespace))
-		exit(1);
+		return -1;
+	return 0;
 }
 
 void clear_apply_state(struct apply_state *state)
diff --git a/apply.h b/apply.h
index 08c0a252cb..e18a18a964 100644
--- a/apply.h
+++ b/apply.h
@@ -102,9 +102,9 @@ extern int parse_whitespace_option(struct apply_state *state,
 extern int parse_ignorewhitespace_option(struct apply_state *state,
 					 const char *option);
 
-extern void init_apply_state(struct apply_state *state,
-			     const char *prefix,
-			     struct lock_file *lock_file);
+extern int init_apply_state(struct apply_state *state,
+			    const char *prefix,
+			    struct lock_file *lock_file);
 extern void clear_apply_state(struct apply_state *state);
 
 #endif
diff --git a/builtin/apply.c b/builtin/apply.c
index bb6ff77038..61fd316363 100644
--- a/builtin/apply.c
+++ b/builtin/apply.c
@@ -4741,7 +4741,8 @@ int cmd_apply(int argc, const char **argv, const char *prefix)
 		OPT_END()
 	};
 
-	init_apply_state(&state, prefix, &lock_file);
+	if (init_apply_state(&state, prefix, &lock_file))
+		exit(128);
 
 	argc = parse_options(argc, argv, state.prefix, builtin_apply_options,
 			apply_usage, 0);