diff --git a/src/pay/payment_producer.py b/src/pay/payment_producer.py
index 0e4f3ec8..d60fc76b 100644
--- a/src/pay/payment_producer.py
+++ b/src/pay/payment_producer.py
@@ -25,6 +25,7 @@
 logger = main_logger.getChild("payment_producer")
 
 BOOTSTRAP_SLEEP = 4
+EXIT_CODE_FILE = "/tmp/trd_producer_exit_code"
 
 
 class PaymentProducer(threading.Thread, PaymentProducerABC):
@@ -117,7 +118,7 @@ def __init__(
             logger.error(
                 "Only 'ACTUAL' rewards type is supported as of Paris protocol. Please fix your configuration."
             )
-            self.exit(ExitCode.PROVIDER_ERROR)
+            self.exit(ExitCode.GENERAL_ERROR)
         self.pay_denunciation_rewards = baking_cfg.get_pay_denunciation_rewards()
         self.fee_calc = service_fee_calc
         self.initial_payment_cycle = initial_payment_cycle
@@ -161,6 +162,9 @@ def exit(self, exit_code):
                     # This will propagate the exit status to main process on linux.
                     abnormal_signal = signal.SIGUSR2
                     normal_signal = signal.SIGUSR1
+                # write the exit code to file, so the main process can exit with the same code
+                with open(EXIT_CODE_FILE, "w") as f:
+                    f.write(str(exit_code.value))
                 if self.consumer_failure:
                     os.kill(os.getpid(), abnormal_signal)
                     logger.debug(
@@ -226,7 +230,7 @@ def run(self):
                     str(self.provider_factory.provider), str(a)
                 )
             )
-            self.exit(ExitCode.PROVIDER_ERROR)
+            self.exit(ExitCode.PROVIDER_BUSY)
             return
 
         # if initial_payment_cycle has the default value of -1 resulting in the last released cycle
@@ -292,7 +296,6 @@ def run(self):
                 # payments should not pass beyond last released reward cycle
                 if pymnt_cycle <= current_cycle - 1:
                     if not self.payments_queue.full():
-
                         # If user wants to offset payments within a cycle, check here
                         if level_in_cycle < self.payment_offset:
                             wait_offset_blocks = self.payment_offset - level_in_cycle
diff --git a/src/util/exit_program.py b/src/util/exit_program.py
index 68883306..92673efd 100644
--- a/src/util/exit_program.py
+++ b/src/util/exit_program.py
@@ -13,6 +13,7 @@ class ExitCode(Enum):
     INSUFFICIENT_FUNDS = 6
     RETRY_FAILED = 7
     PROVIDER_ERROR = 8
+    PROVIDER_BUSY = 9
 
 
 def exit_program(exit_code: ExitCode = ExitCode.SUCCESS, exit_message="Success!"):
diff --git a/src/util/parser.py b/src/util/parser.py
index a5d8f676..b45d8a99 100644
--- a/src/util/parser.py
+++ b/src/util/parser.py
@@ -107,12 +107,8 @@ def add_argument_provider(argparser):
     argparser.add_argument(
         "-P",
         "--reward_data_provider",
-        help="Source of reward data. The default is 'tzkt' (TzKT API). "
-        "Set to 'rpc' to use your own local node defined with the -A flag, "
-        "(it must be an ARCHIVE node in this case). "
-        "Set to 'prpc' to use a public RPC node defined with the -Ap flag. "
-        "An alternative for providing reward data is 'tzpro', but an API key associated with your account needs to be provided in your configuration!",
-        choices=["rpc", "prpc", "tzpro", "tzkt"],
+        help="Source of reward data. The only choice is 'tzkt' (TzKT API).",
+        choices=["tzkt"],
         default="tzkt",
     )
 
diff --git a/src/util/process_life_cycle.py b/src/util/process_life_cycle.py
index cb7e7f5c..d71a944e 100644
--- a/src/util/process_life_cycle.py
+++ b/src/util/process_life_cycle.py
@@ -3,6 +3,7 @@
 import queue
 import signal
 import platform
+import os
 from signal import SIGABRT, SIGILL, SIGSEGV, SIGTERM
 
 if platform.system() != "Windows":
@@ -19,7 +20,7 @@
 from util.parser import parse_arguments
 from model.baking_dirs import BakingDirs
 from pay.payment_consumer import PaymentConsumer
-from pay.payment_producer import PaymentProducer
+from pay.payment_producer import EXIT_CODE_FILE, PaymentProducer
 from util.config_life_cycle import ConfigLifeCycle
 from util.lock_file import LockFile
 from log_config import main_logger, init, verbose_logger
@@ -394,6 +395,27 @@ def producer_exit_handler(self, signum, frame):
 
     def shut_down_on_error(self):
         self.fsm.trigger_event(TrdEvent.SHUT_DOWN_ON_ERROR)
+        exit_code = ExitCode.GENERAL_ERROR
+        if os.path.exists(EXIT_CODE_FILE):
+            logger.info("NOCHEM exit code file exists")
+            try:
+                with open(EXIT_CODE_FILE, "r") as f:
+                    exit_code_value = int(f.read().strip())
+                    exit_code = next(
+                        (code for code in ExitCode if code.value == exit_code_value),
+                        ExitCode.GENERAL_ERROR,
+                    )
+                os.remove(EXIT_CODE_FILE)
+                exit_program(exit_code, "Shutdown initiated by producer.")
+            except Exception:
+                logger.debug(
+                    "Error reading exit code file. Using default exit code GENERAL_ERROR."
+                )
+        else:
+            logger.debug(
+                "Exit code file not found. Using default exit code GENERAL_ERROR."
+            )
+
         exit_program(ExitCode.GENERAL_ERROR, "Shutdown due to error!")
 
     def shut_down_on_demand(self):