diff --git a/ChangeLog b/ChangeLog
index 9f0d9bbb..8c9a48b9 100644
--- a/ChangeLog
+++ b/ChangeLog
@@ -1,3 +1,14 @@
+2007-07-24  Richard Hughes  <richard@hughsie.com>
+
+	* dbus/dbus-spawn.c: (read_data),
+	(_dbus_babysitter_get_child_exit_status):
+	* dbus/dbus-spawn.h:
+	Add a function so we can get access to the exit status of the launch
+	helper.
+	By providing the return code and not the error we can leave the
+	'what does this mean?' to the bus launch code and not include it in the
+	dbus directory.
+
 2007-07-24  Richard Hughes  <richard@hughsie.com>
 
 	* bus/activation-exit-codes.h:
diff --git a/dbus/dbus-spawn.c b/dbus/dbus-spawn.c
index 15e3dec3..125aea7c 100644
--- a/dbus/dbus-spawn.c
+++ b/dbus/dbus-spawn.c
@@ -417,6 +417,7 @@ read_data (DBusBabysitter *sitter,
                   {
                     sitter->have_child_status = TRUE;
                     sitter->status = arg;
+                    sitter->errnum = WEXITSTATUS (sitter->status);
                     _dbus_verbose ("recorded child status exited = %d signaled = %d exitstatus = %d termsig = %d\n",
                                    WIFEXITED (sitter->status), WIFSIGNALED (sitter->status),
                                    WEXITSTATUS (sitter->status), WTERMSIG (sitter->status));
@@ -622,6 +623,30 @@ _dbus_babysitter_get_child_exited (DBusBabysitter *sitter)
   return sitter->socket_to_babysitter < 0;
 }
 
+/**
+ * Gets the exit status of the child. We do this so implimentation specific
+ * detail is not cluttering up dbus, for example the system laucher code.
+ *
+ * @param sitter the babysitter
+ * @param status the returned status code
+ * @returns #FALSE on failure
+ */
+dbus_bool_t
+_dbus_babysitter_get_child_exit_status (DBusBabysitter *sitter, int *status)
+{
+  if (!_dbus_babysitter_get_child_exited (sitter))
+    _dbus_assert_not_reached ("Child has not exited");
+
+  if (sitter->errnum != WEXITSTATUS (sitter->status))
+    _dbus_assert_not_reached ("Status is not exit!");
+
+  if (!sitter->have_child_status)
+    _dbus_assert_not_reached ("Not a child!");
+
+  *status = sitter->status;
+  return TRUE;
+}
+
 /**
  * Sets the #DBusError with an explanation of why the spawned
  * child process exited (on a signal, or whatever). If
diff --git a/dbus/dbus-spawn.h b/dbus/dbus-spawn.h
index 0eed6bab..7d8a67a7 100644
--- a/dbus/dbus-spawn.h
+++ b/dbus/dbus-spawn.h
@@ -47,6 +47,8 @@ void        _dbus_babysitter_kill_child           (DBusBabysitter            *si
 dbus_bool_t _dbus_babysitter_get_child_exited     (DBusBabysitter            *sitter);
 void        _dbus_babysitter_set_child_exit_error (DBusBabysitter            *sitter,
                                                    DBusError                 *error);
+dbus_bool_t _dbus_babysitter_get_child_exit_status (DBusBabysitter           *sitter,
+                                                    int                      *status);
 dbus_bool_t _dbus_babysitter_set_watch_functions  (DBusBabysitter            *sitter,
                                                    DBusAddWatchFunction       add_function,
                                                    DBusRemoveWatchFunction    remove_function,