diff --git a/builtin/bisect--helper.c b/builtin/bisect--helper.c
index e21d3d1..e6bd4d6 100644
--- a/builtin/bisect--helper.c
+++ b/builtin/bisect--helper.c
@@ -713,5 +713,5 @@
 		return error("BUG: unknown subcommand '%d'", cmdmode);
 	}
 	free_terms(&terms);
-	return !!res;
+	return abs(res);
 }