diff --git a/java/src/processing/mode/java/Commander.java b/java/src/processing/mode/java/Commander.java
index 4739c251f..1807b26bf 100644
--- a/java/src/processing/mode/java/Commander.java
+++ b/java/src/processing/mode/java/Commander.java
@@ -275,6 +275,7 @@ public class Commander implements RunnerListener {
               } else {
                 runner.launch(sketchArgs);
               }
+              success = !runner.vmReturnedError();
             }
           } else {
             success = false;
diff --git a/java/src/processing/mode/java/runner/Runner.java b/java/src/processing/mode/java/runner/Runner.java
index 2410e9c2c..a29bc6320 100644
--- a/java/src/processing/mode/java/runner/Runner.java
+++ b/java/src/processing/mode/java/runner/Runner.java
@@ -59,6 +59,7 @@ public class Runner implements MessageConsumer {
 
   // Running remote VM
   protected VirtualMachine vm;
+  protected boolean vmReturnedError;
 
   // Thread transferring remote error stream to our error stream
   protected Thread errThread = null;
@@ -130,6 +131,14 @@ public class Runner implements MessageConsumer {
   }
 
 
+  /**
+   * Whether the last invocation of launchJava() was successful or not
+   */
+  public boolean vmReturnedError() {
+    return vmReturnedError;
+  }
+
+
   /**
    * Simple non-blocking launch of the virtual machine. VM starts suspended.
    * @return debuggee VM or null on failure
@@ -408,6 +417,7 @@ public class Runner implements MessageConsumer {
     new Thread(new Runnable() {
       public void run() {
 //        PApplet.println("java starting");
+        vmReturnedError = false;
         process = PApplet.exec(args);
         try {
 //          PApplet.println("java waiting");
@@ -445,6 +455,7 @@ public class Runner implements MessageConsumer {
             // changing this to separate editor and listener [091124]
             //if (editor != null) {
             listener.statusError("Could not run the sketch.");
+            vmReturnedError = true;
             //}
 //            return null;
           }