diff --git a/src/repl.rs b/src/repl.rs
index 5739e7ec51..909a411fc4 100644
--- a/src/repl.rs
+++ b/src/repl.rs
@@ -86,7 +86,7 @@ pub(crate) fn evaluate(
     let exceptions = crate::utils::external_exceptions(engine_state, &stack);
     engine_state.external_exceptions = exceptions;
 
-    // seed the cmd_duration_ms env var
+    // seed env vars
     stack.add_env_var(
         "CMD_DURATION_MS".into(),
         Value::String {
@@ -95,6 +95,14 @@ pub(crate) fn evaluate(
         },
     );
 
+    stack.add_env_var(
+        "LAST_EXIT_CODE".into(),
+        Value::Int {
+            val: 0,
+            span: Span { start: 0, end: 0 },
+        },
+    );
+
     loop {
         if is_perf_true() {
             info!(
diff --git a/src/utils.rs b/src/utils.rs
index 31f5b6f495..2b481e2b28 100644
--- a/src/utils.rs
+++ b/src/utils.rs
@@ -227,7 +227,13 @@ pub(crate) fn eval_source(
     }
 
     match eval_block(engine_state, stack, &block, input, false, false) {
-        Ok(pipeline_data) => {
+        Ok(mut pipeline_data) => {
+            if let PipelineData::ExternalStream { exit_code, .. } = &mut pipeline_data {
+                if let Some(exit_code) = exit_code.take().and_then(|it| it.last()) {
+                    stack.add_env_var("LAST_EXIT_CODE".to_string(), exit_code);
+                }
+            }
+
             if let Err(err) = print_pipeline_data(pipeline_data, engine_state, stack) {
                 let working_set = StateWorkingSet::new(engine_state);