diff --git a/debian/changelog b/debian/changelog
index f195c9e..77bd3e3 100644
--- a/debian/changelog
+++ b/debian/changelog
@@ -1,3 +1,11 @@
+etckeeper (0.55) UNRELEASED; urgency=low
+
+  * Fix error propigation to yum, which makes AVOID_COMMIT_BEFORE_INSTALL work.
+    Closes: https://bugzilla.redhat.com/show_bug.cgi?id=709487
+    Thanks, Thomas Moschny
+
+ -- Joey Hess <joeyh@debian.org>  Tue, 31 May 2011 17:34:54 -0400
+
 etckeeper (0.54) unstable; urgency=low
 
   * Ignore inssev's FHS violating /etc/init.d/.depend.* files.
diff --git a/yum-etckeeper.py b/yum-etckeeper.py
index bdf9773..be3c943 100644
--- a/yum-etckeeper.py
+++ b/yum-etckeeper.py
@@ -18,7 +18,7 @@ import os
 from glob import fnmatch
 
 import yum
-from yum.plugins import TYPE_CORE
+from yum.plugins import PluginYumExit, TYPE_CORE
 
 requires_api_version = '2.1'
 plugin_type = (TYPE_CORE,)
@@ -27,7 +27,9 @@ def pretrans_hook(conduit):
     conduit.info(2, 'etckeeper: pre transaction commit')
     servicecmd = conduit.confString('main', 'servicecmd', '/usr/bin/etckeeper')
     command = '%s %s' % (servicecmd, " pre-install")
-    os.system(command)
+    ret = os.system(command)
+    if ret != 0:
+        raise PluginYumExit('etckeeper returned %d' % (ret >> 8))
 
 def posttrans_hook(conduit):
     conduit.info(2, 'etckeeper: post transaction commit')