diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index d9a5275..1c41e0f 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -512,6 +512,10 @@ Usage:
 
 Description:
   List all disabled records. This is an alias for `hosts list disabled`.
+
+Exit status:
+  0   One or more disabled entries found.
+  1   Invalid parameters or no disabled entries found.
 ```
 
 ### `hosts edit`
@@ -547,6 +551,10 @@ Usage:
 
 Description:
   List all enabled records. This is an alias for `hosts list enabled`.
+
+Exit status:
+  0   One or more enabled entries found.
+  1   Invalid parameters or no enabled entries found.
 ```
 
 ### `hosts file`
@@ -579,6 +587,10 @@ Description:
   List the existing IP / hostname pairs, optionally limited to a specified
   state. When provided with a seach string, all matching enabled records will
   be printed.
+
+Exit status:
+  0   One or more matching entries found.
+  1   Invalid parameters or entry not found.
 ```
 
 ### `hosts remove`
diff --git a/hosts b/hosts
index a516d1f..83a3faa 100755
--- a/hosts
+++ b/hosts
@@ -1131,6 +1131,10 @@ Usage:
 
 Description:
   List all disabled records. This is an alias for \`hosts list disabled\`.
+
+Exit status:
+  0   One or more disabled entries found.
+  1   Invalid parameters or no disabled entries found.
 HEREDOC
 disabled() {
   list disabled
@@ -1230,6 +1234,10 @@ Usage:
 
 Description:
   List all enabled records. This is an alias for \`hosts list enabled\`.
+
+Exit status:
+  0   One or more enabled entries found.
+  1   Invalid parameters or no enabled entries found.
 HEREDOC
 enabled() {
   list enabled
@@ -1258,6 +1266,10 @@ Description:
   List the existing IP / hostname pairs, optionally limited to a specified
   state. When provided with a seach string, all matching enabled records will
   be printed.
+
+Exit status:
+  0   One or more matching entries found.
+  1   Invalid parameters or entry not found.
 HEREDOC
 list() {
   local _disabled_records
@@ -1265,22 +1277,30 @@ list() {
     sed -n "s/^\\#disabled: \\(.*\\)$/\\1/p" "${HOSTS_PATH}"
   )
 
+  # NOTE: use separate expressions since using `|` for the 'or' results in
+  # inconsistent behavior.
+  local _enabled_records
+  _enabled_records="$(
+    grep -v -e '^$' -e '^\s*\#' "${HOSTS_PATH}"
+  )"
+
   if [[ -n "${1:-}" ]]
   then
     if [[ "${1}" == "disabled" ]]
     then
+      [[ -z "${_disabled_records}" ]] && return 1
       _print_entries "${_disabled_records}"
     elif [[ "${1}" == "enabled" ]]
     then
-      _print_entries "$(grep -v -e '^$' -e '^\s*\#' "${HOSTS_PATH}")"
+      [[ -z "${_enabled_records}" ]] && return 1
+      _print_entries "${_enabled_records}"
     else
       show "${1}"
     fi
   else
-    # NOTE: use separate expressions since using `|` for the 'or' results in
-    # inconsistent behavior.
-    local _enabled_records
-    _enabled_records="$(grep -v -e '^$' -e '^\s*\#' "${HOSTS_PATH}")"
+    [[ -z "${_enabled_records}" ]] &&
+    [[ -z "${_enabled_records}" ]] &&
+      return 1
 
     _print_entries "${_enabled_records:-}"
 
diff --git a/test/disabled.bats b/test/disabled.bats
index 5a93525..aff2e0b 100644
--- a/test/disabled.bats
+++ b/test/disabled.bats
@@ -34,6 +34,13 @@ load test_helper
   [[ "${lines[2]}" == "" ]]
 }
 
+@test "\`disabled\` exits with status 1 when no matching entries found." {
+  run "${_HOSTS}" disabled
+  printf "\${status}: %s\\n" "${status}"
+  printf "\${output}: '%s'\\n" "${output}"
+  [[ ${status} -eq 1 ]]
+}
+
 # help ########################################################################
 
 @test "\`help disabled\` exits with status 0." {
diff --git a/test/enabled.bats b/test/enabled.bats
index 211b2fa..b6529b8 100644
--- a/test/enabled.bats
+++ b/test/enabled.bats
@@ -36,6 +36,18 @@ load test_helper
   [[ "${lines[4]}" =~ 127.0.0.2[[:space:]]+example.com ]]
 }
 
+@test "\`enabled\` exits with status 1 when no matching entries found." {
+  {
+    run "${_HOSTS}" disable localhost
+    run "${_HOSTS}" disable broadcasthost
+  }
+
+  run "${_HOSTS}" enabled
+  printf "\${status}: %s\\n" "${status}"
+  printf "\${output}: '%s'\\n" "${output}"
+  [[ ${status} -eq 1 ]]
+}
+
 # help ########################################################################
 
 @test "\`help enabled\` exits with status 0." {
diff --git a/test/list.bats b/test/list.bats
index b189d71..8da5b86 100644
--- a/test/list.bats
+++ b/test/list.bats
@@ -18,7 +18,7 @@ load test_helper
   [[ ${status} -eq 0 ]]
 }
 
-@test "\`list\` prints lists of enabled and disabled records." {
+@test "\`list\` prints lists of enabled and disabled entries." {
   {
     run "${_HOSTS}" add 0.0.0.0 example.com
     run "${_HOSTS}" add 0.0.0.0 example.net
@@ -60,7 +60,7 @@ Disabled:
   [[ ${status} -eq 0 ]]
 }
 
-@test "\`list enabled\` prints list of enabled records." {
+@test "\`list enabled\` prints list of enabled entries." {
   {
     run "${_HOSTS}" add 0.0.0.0 example.com
     run "${_HOSTS}" add 0.0.0.0 example.net
@@ -78,6 +78,18 @@ Disabled:
   [[ "${lines[4]}" =~ 127\.0\.0\.2[[:space:]]+example.com         ]]
 }
 
+@test "\`list enabled\` exits with status 1 when no matching entries found." {
+  {
+    run "${_HOSTS}" disable localhost
+    run "${_HOSTS}" disable broadcasthost
+  }
+
+  run "${_HOSTS}" list enabled
+  printf "\${status}: %s\\n" "${status}"
+  printf "\${output}: '%s'\\n" "${output}"
+  [[ ${status} -eq 1 ]]
+}
+
 # `hosts list disabled` #######################################################
 
 @test "\`list disabled\` exits with status 0." {
@@ -94,7 +106,7 @@ Disabled:
   [[ ${status} -eq 0 ]]
 }
 
-@test "\`list disabled\` prints list of disabled records." {
+@test "\`list disabled\` prints list of disabled entries." {
   {
     run "${_HOSTS}" add 0.0.0.0 example.com
     run "${_HOSTS}" add 0.0.0.0 example.net
@@ -110,6 +122,13 @@ Disabled:
   [[ "${lines[2]}" == "" ]]
 }
 
+@test "\`list disabled\` exits with status 1 when no matching entries found." {
+  run "${_HOSTS}" list disabled
+  printf "\${status}: %s\\n" "${status}"
+  printf "\${output}: '%s'\\n" "${output}"
+  [[ ${status} -eq 1 ]]
+}
+
 # `hosts list <search string>` ################################################
 
 @test "\`list <search string>\` exits with status 0." {
@@ -125,7 +144,7 @@ Disabled:
   [[ ${status} -eq 0 ]]
 }
 
-@test "\`list <search string>\` prints list of matching records." {
+@test "\`list <search string>\` prints list of matching entries." {
   {
     run "${_HOSTS}" add 0.0.0.0 example.com
     run "${_HOSTS}" add 0.0.0.0 example.net
@@ -140,7 +159,7 @@ Disabled:
   [[ "${lines[2]}" == "" ]]
 }
 
-@test "\`list <search string>\` prints records with matching comments." {
+@test "\`list <search string>\` prints entries with matching comments." {
   {
     run "${_HOSTS}" add 0.0.0.0 example.com
     run "${_HOSTS}" add 0.0.0.0 example.net "Example Comment"
@@ -155,7 +174,7 @@ Disabled:
 }
 
 
-@test "\`list <search string>\` prints disabled records with matching comments." {
+@test "\`list <search string>\` prints disabled entries with matching comments." {
   {
     run "${_HOSTS}" add 0.0.0.0 example.com
     run "${_HOSTS}" add 0.0.0.0 example.net "Example Comment"
@@ -172,6 +191,13 @@ Disabled:
   [[ "${lines[4]}" == "" ]]
 }
 
+@test "\`list <search string>\` exits with status 1 when no matching entries found." {
+  run "${_HOSTS}" list query-that-matches-no-entries
+  printf "\${status}: %s\\n" "${status}"
+  printf "\${output}: '%s'\\n" "${output}"
+  [[ ${status} -eq 1 ]]
+}
+
 # help ########################################################################
 
 @test "\`help list\` exits with status 0." {
diff --git a/test/search.bats b/test/search.bats
index e565853..96af481 100644
--- a/test/search.bats
+++ b/test/search.bats
@@ -29,18 +29,8 @@ load test_helper
   run "${_HOSTS}" search
   printf "\${status}: %s\\n" "${status}"
   printf "\${output}: '%s'\\n" "${output}"
-  _expected="\
-Usage:
-  hosts search <search string>
-
-Description:
-  Search entries for <search string>.
-
-Exit status:
-  0   One or more matching entries found.
-  1   Invalid parameters or entry not found."
-  _compare "'${_expected}'" "'${output}'"
-  [[ "${output}" == "${_expected}" ]]
+  [[ "${lines[0]}" == "Usage:"                          ]]
+  [[ "${lines[1]}" == "  hosts search <search string>"  ]]
 }
 
 # `hosts search enabled` ######################################################
@@ -77,6 +67,18 @@ Exit status:
   [[ "${lines[4]}" =~ 127.0.0.2[[:space:]]+example.com          ]]
 }
 
+@test "\`search enabled\` exits with status 1 when no matching entries found." {
+  {
+    run "${_HOSTS}" disable localhost
+    run "${_HOSTS}" disable broadcasthost
+  }
+
+  run "${_HOSTS}" search enabled
+  printf "\${status}: %s\\n" "${status}"
+  printf "\${output}: '%s'\\n" "${output}"
+  [[ ${status} -eq 1 ]]
+}
+
 # `hosts search disabled` #####################################################
 
 @test "\`search disabled\` exits with status 0." {
@@ -109,6 +111,13 @@ Exit status:
   [[ "${lines[2]}" == "" ]]
 }
 
+@test "\`search disabled\` exits with status 1 when no matching entries found." {
+  run "${_HOSTS}" search disabled
+  printf "\${status}: %s\\n" "${status}"
+  printf "\${output}: '%s'\\n" "${output}"
+  [[ ${status} -eq 1 ]]
+}
+
 # `hosts search <search string>` ################################################
 
 @test "\`search <search string>\` exits with status 0." {
@@ -170,6 +179,13 @@ Exit status:
   [[ "${lines[4]}" == "" ]]
 }
 
+@test "\`search <search string>\` exits with status 1 when no matching entries found." {
+  run "${_HOSTS}" search query-that-matches-no-entries
+  printf "\${status}: %s\\n" "${status}"
+  printf "\${output}: '%s'\\n" "${output}"
+  [[ ${status} -eq 1 ]]
+}
+
 # help ########################################################################
 
 @test "\`help search\` exits with status 0." {