diff --git a/cmd/argocd/commands/app.go b/cmd/argocd/commands/app.go
index cdf4395e1a2eb..8c32ce34399e4 100644
--- a/cmd/argocd/commands/app.go
+++ b/cmd/argocd/commands/app.go
@@ -1140,6 +1140,7 @@ func NewApplicationDiffCommand(clientOpts *argocdclient.ClientOptions) *cobra.Co
 		refresh              bool
 		hardRefresh          bool
 		exitCode             bool
+		diffExitCode         int
 		local                string
 		revision             string
 		localRepoRoot        string
@@ -1242,13 +1243,14 @@ func NewApplicationDiffCommand(clientOpts *argocdclient.ClientOptions) *cobra.Co
 			proj := getProject(c, clientOpts, ctx, app.Spec.Project)
 			foundDiffs := findandPrintDiff(ctx, app, proj.Project, resources, argoSettings, diffOption, ignoreNormalizerOpts)
 			if foundDiffs && exitCode {
-				os.Exit(1)
+				os.Exit(diffExitCode)
 			}
 		},
 	}
 	command.Flags().BoolVar(&refresh, "refresh", false, "Refresh application data when retrieving")
 	command.Flags().BoolVar(&hardRefresh, "hard-refresh", false, "Refresh application data as well as target manifests cache")
-	command.Flags().BoolVar(&exitCode, "exit-code", true, "Return non-zero exit code when there is a diff")
+	command.Flags().BoolVar(&exitCode, "exit-code", true, "Return non-zero exit code when there is a diff. May also return non-zero exit code if there is an error.")
+	command.Flags().IntVar(&diffExitCode, "diff-exit-code", 1, "Return specified exit code when there is a diff. Typical error code is 20.")
 	command.Flags().StringVar(&local, "local", "", "Compare live app to a local manifests")
 	command.Flags().StringVar(&revision, "revision", "", "Compare live app to a particular revision")
 	command.Flags().StringVar(&localRepoRoot, "local-repo-root", "/", "Path to the repository root. Used together with --local allows setting the repository root")
diff --git a/docs/user-guide/commands/argocd_app_diff.md b/docs/user-guide/commands/argocd_app_diff.md
index 07efe70af6b40..d4c22d323db6b 100644
--- a/docs/user-guide/commands/argocd_app_diff.md
+++ b/docs/user-guide/commands/argocd_app_diff.md
@@ -19,7 +19,8 @@ argocd app diff APPNAME [flags]
 
 ```
   -N, --app-namespace string                              Only render the difference in namespace
-      --exit-code                                         Return non-zero exit code when there is a diff (default true)
+      --diff-exit-code int                                Return specified exit code when there is a diff. Typical error code is 20. (default 1)
+      --exit-code                                         Return non-zero exit code when there is a diff. May also return non-zero exit code if there is an error. (default true)
       --hard-refresh                                      Refresh application data as well as target manifests cache
   -h, --help                                              help for diff
       --ignore-normalizer-jq-execution-timeout duration   Set ignore normalizer JQ execution timeout (default 1s)