diff --git a/cmd/csaf_validator/main.go b/cmd/csaf_validator/main.go
index 4a9e8273..9e844b70 100644
--- a/cmd/csaf_validator/main.go
+++ b/cmd/csaf_validator/main.go
@@ -23,10 +23,10 @@ import (
 )
 
 const (
-	exitCodeAllValid               = 0
-	exitCodeSchemaInvalid          = 1 << 0
-	exitCodeNoRemoteValidator      = 1 << 1
-	exitCodeFailedRemoteValidation = 1 << 2
+	exitCodeSchemaInvalid = 1 << iota
+	exitCodeNoRemoteValidator
+	exitCodeFailedRemoteValidation
+	exitCodeAllValid = 0
 )
 
 type options struct {
diff --git a/docs/csaf_validator.md b/docs/csaf_validator.md
index 74dbaaf7..64ded6dc 100644
--- a/docs/csaf_validator.md
+++ b/docs/csaf_validator.md
@@ -3,11 +3,11 @@
 is a tool to validate local advisories files against the JSON Schema and an optional remote validator.
 
 ### Exit codes
-If no fatal error occurs the program will exit with the following codes:
-- `0`: all valid
-- `2⁰`: schema invalid
-- `2¹`: no remote validator configured
-- `2²`: failure in remote validation
+If no fatal error occurs the program will exit with an exit code `n` with the following conditions:
+- `n == 0`: all valid
+- `(n / 2) % 1 == 1`: schema validation failed
+- `(n / 4) % 1 == 1`: no remote validator configured
+- `(n / 8) % 1 == 1`: failure in remote validation
 
 ### Usage