diff --git a/vmupdate/tests/conftest.py b/vmupdate/tests/conftest.py
index f6401fb..e881b36 100644
--- a/vmupdate/tests/conftest.py
+++ b/vmupdate/tests/conftest.py
@@ -145,7 +145,7 @@ def run_agent(self, agent_args, status_notifier, termination):
     return closure
 
 
-def generate_vm_variations(app, variations):
+def generate_vm_variations(app, variations, include_cancelled=False):
     """
     Generate all possible variations of vms for the given list of features.
     """
@@ -182,15 +182,27 @@ def generate_vm_variations(app, variations):
             FinalStatus.SUCCESS: set(),
             FinalStatus.NO_UPDATES: set(),
             FinalStatus.ERROR: set(),
-            FinalStatus.CANCELLED: set(),
-        },
+        }
+        | (
+            {
+                FinalStatus.CANCELLED: set(),
+            }
+            if include_cancelled
+            else {}
+        ),
         "has_template_updated": {
             FinalStatus.SUCCESS: set(),
             FinalStatus.NO_UPDATES: set(),
             FinalStatus.ERROR: set(),
-            FinalStatus.CANCELLED: set(),
             FinalStatus.UNKNOWN: set(),
-        },
+        }
+        | (
+            {
+                FinalStatus.CANCELLED: set(),
+            }
+            if include_cancelled
+            else {}
+        ),
     }
 
     klasses = list(reversed(sorted(list(domains["klass"].keys()))))
diff --git a/vmupdate/update_manager.py b/vmupdate/update_manager.py
index fdabe4e..0c11779 100644
--- a/vmupdate/update_manager.py
+++ b/vmupdate/update_manager.py
@@ -112,6 +112,10 @@ def run(self, agent_args):
         progress_bar.close()
         self.log.info("Update Manager: Finished, collecting success info")
 
+        # inform caller about requested cancel, even if all requested targets were updated
+        if progress_bar.termination.value:
+            self.ret_code = EXIT.SIGINT
+
         stats = list(progress_bar.statuses.values())
         if FinalStatus.CANCELLED in stats:
             self.ret_code = max(self.ret_code, EXIT.SIGINT)
diff --git a/vmupdate/vmupdate.py b/vmupdate/vmupdate.py
index d9fa476..1f96802 100644
--- a/vmupdate/vmupdate.py
+++ b/vmupdate/vmupdate.py
@@ -93,6 +93,8 @@ def main(args=None, app=qubesadmin.Qubes()):
         no_updates = all(
             stat == FinalStatus.NO_UPDATES for stat in admin_status.values()
         )
+    if ret_code_admin == EXIT.SIGINT:
+        return EXIT.SIGINT
 
     # independent qubes first (TemplateVMs, StandaloneVMs)
     ret_code_independent, templ_statuses = run_update(
@@ -102,12 +104,16 @@ def main(args=None, app=qubesadmin.Qubes()):
         all(stat == FinalStatus.NO_UPDATES for stat in templ_statuses.values())
         and no_updates
     )
+    if ret_code_independent == EXIT.SIGINT:
+        return EXIT.SIGINT
     # then derived qubes (AppVMs...)
     ret_code_appvm, app_statuses = run_update(derived, args, log)
     no_updates = (
         all(stat == FinalStatus.NO_UPDATES for stat in app_statuses.values())
         and no_updates
     )
+    if ret_code_appvm == EXIT.SIGINT:
+        return EXIT.SIGINT
 
     ret_code_restart = apply_updates_to_appvm(
         args, independent, templ_statuses, app_statuses, log