diff --git a/geomagio/processing/copy_instrument.py b/geomagio/processing/copy_instrument.py
index bc95402bffb269bb45a15cabdddf778633461ded..2a7b6fa083803e649c783fbb5ef4e981f542190d 100644
--- a/geomagio/processing/copy_instrument.py
+++ b/geomagio/processing/copy_instrument.py
@@ -179,7 +179,7 @@ def upload_instrument_metadata(
             print(
                 "More than one matching metadata objects exist, fix database before continuing"
             )
-            typer.Exit()
+            raise typer.Exit()
 
         # set instrument.id to prior_metadata.id to update that metadata object in the database
         instrument.id = prior_metadata[0].id