SIGPIPE (Signal 13): Meaning, Exit Code 141 & Fix
SIGPIPE is Unix signal 13. A process terminated by it reports exit code 141 (128 + 13).
SIGPIPE is sent when a process writes to a closed pipe. When it kills a process, the shell reports exit code 141 - the 128 + signal-number convention.
What it means
Often benign - e.g. producer | head where head exits early - but can mask a real downstream crash.
When it happens in CI
- A pipeline consumer (
head,grep -q) closed early. - A real downstream process crashed mid-stream.
How to handle it
With pipefail, exit 141 surfaces; decide whether the early close is expected. Handle SIGPIPE in long-running writers.
Related guides
Exit Codes and Signals in CI/CD: A Practical GuideA practical guide to process exit codes and signals in CI/CD - what 1, 2, 124, 126, 127, 130, 137, and 143 me…
CI Exit Code Lookup: What Does This Exit Code Mean?Instant lookup for CI/CD process exit codes - enter a code (137, 127, 143…) to see what it means, whether it…