diff --git a/e2e/demo/in b/e2e/demo/in
index de407f5..cde3caa 100644
--- a/e2e/demo/in
+++ b/e2e/demo/in
@@ -1,2 +1,2 @@
-echo a
+djfksd fsdf
 exit
diff --git a/e2e/demo/out b/e2e/demo/out
index 30ef0e9..d1ea67a 100644
--- a/e2e/demo/out
+++ b/e2e/demo/out
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-[?2004h$ echo a
-[?2004l
a
+[?2004h$ djfksd fsdf
+[?2004l
bash: djfksd: command not found
 [?2004h$ exit
 [?2004l
exit
diff --git a/internal/mire/record_test.go b/internal/mire/record_test.go
index ef18c6f..2b97e15 100644
--- a/internal/mire/record_test.go
+++ b/internal/mire/record_test.go
@@ -505,6 +505,44 @@ func TestRecordScenarioStripsInterruptsFromSavedFixtures(t *testing.T) {
 	}
 }
 
+func TestRecordScenarioAllowsCommandNotFoundDuringVerification(t *testing.T) {
+	testutil.RequireCommands(t, "bwrap", "bash")
+
+	root := t.TempDir()
+	testDir := filepath.Join(root, "e2e")
+	target := filepath.Join(testDir, "suite", "spec")
+	testutil.MustMkdirAll(t, target)
+	mustWriteRecordShell(t, testDir)
+
+	err := testutil.WithWorkingDir(t, root, func() error {
+		return withPromptedRecordStreams(
+			t,
+			"a\nexit\n",
+			"y\n",
+			func(rio recordIO) error {
+				rio.out = ioDiscard{}
+				return recordScenario(target, recordShellPath(testDir), rio, defaultSandboxConfig(), nil, nil, nil, false)
+			},
+		)
+	})
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("recordScenario() error = %v", err)
+	}
+
+	recordedIn := testutil.ReadFile(t, filepath.Join(target, "in"))
+	if recordedIn != "a\nexit\n" {
+		t.Fatalf("saved in = %q, want %q", recordedIn, "a\nexit\n")
+	}
+
+	recordedOut := testutil.ReadFile(t, filepath.Join(target, "out"))
+	if !strings.Contains(recordedOut, "bash: a: command not found") {
+		t.Fatalf("saved out = %q, want command-not-found output", recordedOut)
+	}
+	if !strings.Contains(recordedOut, "exit\r\n") {
+		t.Fatalf("saved out = %q, want exit preserved", recordedOut)
+	}
+}
+
 func TestRecordFailsWhenRecorderShellMissing(t *testing.T) {
 	root := t.TempDir()
 	testDir := filepath.Join(root, "e2e")
diff --git a/internal/mire/replay.go b/internal/mire/replay.go
index cd87f02..ae2a243 100644
--- a/internal/mire/replay.go
+++ b/internal/mire/replay.go
@@ -2,6 +2,7 @@ package mire
 
 import (
 	"bytes"
+	"errors"
 	"fmt"
 	"io"
 	"os"
@@ -142,7 +143,7 @@ func replayScenarioOutputFromInput(scenario testScenario, shellPath string, sand
 		}
 		return nil, fmt.Errorf("replay shell never emitted %q; rerun `mire init` or refresh %q", compareOutputMarker, shellPath)
 	}
-	if replayResult.ProcessErr != nil {
+	if replayResult.ProcessErr != nil && !isNonFatalReplayProcessErr(replayResult.ProcessErr) {
 		return nil, fmt.Errorf("replay failed: %v", replayResult.ProcessErr)
 	}
 	if replayResult.OutputErr != nil {
@@ -164,6 +165,11 @@ func replayScenarioOutputFromInput(scenario testScenario, shellPath string, sand
 	return got, nil
 }
 
+func isNonFatalReplayProcessErr(err error) bool {
+	var exitErr *exec.ExitError
+	return errors.As(err, &exitErr)
+}
+
 func trimReplayOutputToMarker(data []byte, shellPath string) ([]byte, error) {
 	idx := bytes.Index(data, []byte(compareOutputMarker))
 	if idx == -1 {
diff --git a/internal/mire/test_test.go b/internal/mire/test_test.go
index 108d9f9..bba8ed4 100644
--- a/internal/mire/test_test.go
+++ b/internal/mire/test_test.go
@@ -132,6 +132,32 @@ func TestReplayScenarioIgnoresConfiguredDiffLines(t *testing.T) {
 	}
 }
 
+func TestReplayScenarioAllowsNonZeroShellExitWhenOutputMatches(t *testing.T) {
+	testutil.RequireCommands(t, "bwrap", "bash")
+
+	testDir := filepath.Join(t.TempDir(), "e2e")
+	shellPath := filepath.Join(testDir, "shell.sh")
+	mustWriteRecordShell(t, testDir)
+	scenarioDir := filepath.Join(testDir, "suite", "spec")
+	testutil.WriteScenarioFixtures(
+		t,
+		scenarioDir,
+		"a\nexit\n",
+		"\x1b[?2004h$ a\r\n\x1b[?2004l\rbash: a: command not found\r\n\x1b[?2004h$ exit\r\n\x1b[?2004l\rexit\r\n",
+	)
+
+	err := replayScenario(testScenario{
+		dir:          scenarioDir,
+		relPath:      filepath.Join("suite", "spec"),
+		inPath:       filepath.Join(scenarioDir, "in"),
+		outPath:      filepath.Join(scenarioDir, "out"),
+		setupScripts: nil,
+	}, shellPath, nil, defaultSandboxConfig(), nil, nil)
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("replayScenario() error = %v", err)
+	}
+}
+
 func TestReplayScenarioWaitsForPromptReadyMarkerBeforeSendingInput(t *testing.T) {
 	testutil.RequireCommands(t, "bwrap", "bash")