diff --git a/src/flake8/main/application.py b/src/flake8/main/application.py
index 42e365f..2ceaadb 100644
--- a/src/flake8/main/application.py
+++ b/src/flake8/main/application.py
@@ -124,7 +124,9 @@ class Application(object):
         if self.options.count:
             print(self.result_count)
 
-        if not self.options.exit_zero:
+        if self.options.exit_zero:
+            raise SystemExit(self.catastrophic_failure)
+        else:
             raise SystemExit(
                 (self.result_count > 0) or self.catastrophic_failure
             )
diff --git a/tests/unit/test_application.py b/tests/unit/test_application.py
index 04845a4..51adefb 100644
--- a/tests/unit/test_application.py
+++ b/tests/unit/test_application.py
@@ -23,29 +23,16 @@ def application():
     return app.Application()
 
 
-@pytest.mark.parametrize(
-    'result_count, catastrophic, exit_zero', [
-        (0, True, True),
-        (2, False, True),
-        (2, True, True),
-    ]
-)
-def test_exit_does_not_raise(result_count, catastrophic, exit_zero,
-                             application):
-    """Verify Application.exit doesn't raise SystemExit."""
-    application.result_count = result_count
-    application.catastrophic_failure = catastrophic
-    application.options = options(exit_zero=exit_zero)
-
-    assert application.exit() is None
-
-
 @pytest.mark.parametrize(
     'result_count, catastrophic, exit_zero, value', [
         (0, False, False, False),
         (0, True, False, True),
         (2, False, False, True),
         (2, True, False, True),
+
+        (0, True, True, True),
+        (2, False, True, False),
+        (2, True, True, True),
     ]
 )
 def test_exit_does_raise(result_count, catastrophic, exit_zero, value,