diff --git a/tty-fwd/src/protocol.rs b/tty-fwd/src/protocol.rs
index 690146d8..764fd9a9 100644
--- a/tty-fwd/src/protocol.rs
+++ b/tty-fwd/src/protocol.rs
@@ -398,6 +398,16 @@ impl StreamWriter {
         Ok(())
     }
 
+    pub fn write_raw_json(&mut self, json_value: &serde_json::Value) -> Result<(), Error> {
+        use std::io::Write;
+
+        let json_string = serde_json::to_string(json_value)?;
+        writeln!(self.file, "{json_string}")?;
+        self.file.flush()?;
+
+        Ok(())
+    }
+
     pub fn elapsed_time(&self) -> f64 {
         self.start_time.elapsed().as_secs_f64()
     }
@@ -427,6 +437,7 @@ impl NotificationWriter {
 pub enum StreamEvent {
     Header(AsciinemaHeader),
     Terminal(AsciinemaEvent),
+    Exit { exit_code: i32, session_id: String },
     Error { message: String },
     End,
 }
@@ -454,6 +465,14 @@ impl serde::Serialize for StreamEvent {
         match self {
             Self::Header(header) => header.serialize(serializer),
             Self::Terminal(event) => event.serialize(serializer),
+            Self::Exit { exit_code, session_id } => {
+                use serde::ser::SerializeTuple;
+                let mut tuple = serializer.serialize_tuple(3)?;
+                tuple.serialize_element("exit")?;
+                tuple.serialize_element(exit_code)?;
+                tuple.serialize_element(session_id)?;
+                tuple.end()
+            }
             Self::Error { message } => {
                 let error_event = ErrorEvent {
                     event_type: "error".to_string(),
@@ -488,6 +507,15 @@ impl<'de> serde::Deserialize<'de> for StreamEvent {
         // Try to parse as an event array [timestamp, type, data]
         if let Some(arr) = value.as_array() {
             if arr.len() >= 3 {
+                // Check for exit event: ["exit", exit_code, session_id]
+                if let Some(first) = arr[0].as_str() {
+                    if first == "exit" {
+                        let exit_code = arr[1].as_i64().unwrap_or(0) as i32;
+                        let session_id = arr[2].as_str().unwrap_or("unknown").to_string();
+                        return Ok(Self::Exit { exit_code, session_id });
+                    }
+                }
+                
                 let event: AsciinemaEvent = serde_json::from_value(value).map_err(|e| {
                     de::Error::custom(format!("Failed to parse terminal event: {e}"))
                 })?;
diff --git a/tty-fwd/src/term_socket.rs b/tty-fwd/src/term_socket.rs
index 43637fff..684f51cf 100644
--- a/tty-fwd/src/term_socket.rs
+++ b/tty-fwd/src/term_socket.rs
@@ -405,7 +405,7 @@ fn handle_pty_session(
                 eprintln!("PTY closed (EOF), updating session status");
 
                 // Send exit event to stream before updating session status
-                let exit_event = json!(["exit", 0, session_id]);
+                let exit_event = json!(["exit", "0", session_id]);
                 writeln!(writer, "{exit_event}")?;
                 writer.flush()?;
 
diff --git a/tty-fwd/src/tty_spawn.rs b/tty-fwd/src/tty_spawn.rs
index a1a0710b..a960a884 100644
--- a/tty-fwd/src/tty_spawn.rs
+++ b/tty-fwd/src/tty_spawn.rs
@@ -538,12 +538,8 @@ fn spawn(mut opts: SpawnOptions) -> Result<i32, Error> {
                 .and_then(|p| p.file_stem())
                 .and_then(|s| s.to_str())
                 .unwrap_or("unknown");
-            let exit_event = AsciinemaEvent {
-                time: stream_writer.elapsed_time(),
-                event_type: AsciinemaEventType::Output,
-                data: serde_json::json!(["exit", exit_code, session_id]).to_string(),
-            };
-            let _ = stream_writer.write_event(exit_event);
+            let exit_event = serde_json::json!(["exit", exit_code, session_id]);
+            let _ = stream_writer.write_raw_json(&exit_event);
         }
 
         // Update session status to exited with exit code
@@ -915,12 +911,8 @@ fn monitor_detached_session(
             .and_then(|p| p.file_stem())
             .and_then(|s| s.to_str())
             .unwrap_or("unknown");
-        let exit_event = AsciinemaEvent {
-            time: stream_writer.elapsed_time(),
-            event_type: AsciinemaEventType::Output,
-            data: serde_json::json!(["exit", 0, session_id]).to_string(),
-        };
-        let _ = stream_writer.write_event(exit_event);
+        let exit_event = serde_json::json!(["exit", 0, session_id]);
+        let _ = stream_writer.write_raw_json(&exit_event);
     }
 
     // Update session status to exited