diff --git a/solc/CommandLineInterface.cpp b/solc/CommandLineInterface.cpp
index 3b26b6c83..dc07b499d 100644
--- a/solc/CommandLineInterface.cpp
+++ b/solc/CommandLineInterface.cpp
@@ -553,7 +553,7 @@ void CommandLineInterface::createFile(string const& _fileName, string const& _da
 	if (fs::exists(pathName) && !m_options.output.overwriteFiles)
 	{
 		serr() << "Refusing to overwrite existing file \"" << pathName << "\" (use --overwrite to force)." << endl;
-		m_error = true;
+		m_outputFailed = true;
 		return;
 	}
 	ofstream outFile(pathName);
@@ -561,7 +561,7 @@ void CommandLineInterface::createFile(string const& _fileName, string const& _da
 	if (!outFile)
 	{
 		serr() << "Could not write to file \"" << pathName << "\"." << endl;
-		m_error = true;
+		m_outputFailed = true;
 		return;
 	}
 }
@@ -855,7 +855,7 @@ bool CommandLineInterface::actOnInput()
 		solAssert(m_options.input.mode == InputMode::Compiler || m_options.input.mode == InputMode::CompilerWithASTImport, "");
 		outputCompilationResults();
 	}
-	return !m_error;
+	return !m_outputFailed;
 }
 
 bool CommandLineInterface::link()
diff --git a/solc/CommandLineInterface.h b/solc/CommandLineInterface.h
index 5504e51bb..1ca40568c 100644
--- a/solc/CommandLineInterface.h
+++ b/solc/CommandLineInterface.h
@@ -121,7 +121,7 @@ private:
 	std::ostream& m_sout;
 	std::ostream& m_serr;
 	bool m_hasOutput = false;
-	bool m_error = false; ///< If true, some error occurred.
+	bool m_outputFailed = false; ///< If true, creation or write to some of the output files failed.
 	FileReader m_fileReader;
 	std::optional<std::string> m_standardJsonInput;
 	std::unique_ptr<frontend::CompilerStack> m_compiler;