diff --git a/pre_commit/xargs.py b/pre_commit/xargs.py
index 31be6f32..eff57ce7 100644
--- a/pre_commit/xargs.py
+++ b/pre_commit/xargs.py
@@ -170,7 +170,8 @@ def xargs(
         results = thread_map(run_cmd_partition, partitions)
 
         for proc_retcode, proc_out, _ in results:
-            retcode = max(retcode, proc_retcode)
+            if abs(proc_retcode) > abs(retcode):
+                retcode = proc_retcode
             stdout += proc_out
 
     return retcode, stdout
diff --git a/tests/xargs_test.py b/tests/xargs_test.py
index 7c41f98c..b0a8e0d6 100644
--- a/tests/xargs_test.py
+++ b/tests/xargs_test.py
@@ -147,6 +147,15 @@ def test_xargs_retcode_normal():
     assert ret == 5
 
 
+@pytest.mark.xfail(sys.platform == 'win32', reason='posix only')
+def test_xargs_retcode_killed_by_signal():
+    ret, _ = xargs.xargs(
+        parse_shebang.normalize_cmd(('bash', '-c', 'kill -9 $$', '--')),
+        ('foo', 'bar'),
+    )
+    assert ret == -9
+
+
 def test_xargs_concurrency():
     bash_cmd = parse_shebang.normalize_cmd(('bash', '-c'))
     print_pid = ('sleep 0.5 && echo $$',)