diff --git a/crates/ruff_cli/src/lib.rs b/crates/ruff_cli/src/lib.rs
index a44ff3edb00920..2f8f3534ff3659 100644
--- a/crates/ruff_cli/src/lib.rs
+++ b/crates/ruff_cli/src/lib.rs
@@ -280,17 +280,27 @@ fn check(args: CheckArgs, log_level: LogLevel) -> Result<ExitStatus> {
         }
 
         if !cli.exit_zero {
-            if cli.diff || fix_only {
+            if cli.diff {
                 if !diagnostics.fixed.is_empty() {
                     return Ok(ExitStatus::Failure);
                 }
-            } else if cli.exit_non_zero_on_fix {
-                if !diagnostics.fixed.is_empty() || !diagnostics.messages.is_empty() {
-                    return Ok(ExitStatus::Failure);
+            } else if fix_only {
+                if cli.exit_non_zero_on_fix {
+                    if !diagnostics.fixed.is_empty() {
+                        return Ok(ExitStatus::Failure);
+                    }
+                } else {
+                    return Ok(ExitStatus::Success);
                 }
             } else {
-                if !diagnostics.messages.is_empty() {
-                    return Ok(ExitStatus::Failure);
+                if cli.exit_non_zero_on_fix {
+                    if !diagnostics.fixed.is_empty() || !diagnostics.messages.is_empty() {
+                        return Ok(ExitStatus::Failure);
+                    }
+                } else {
+                    if !diagnostics.messages.is_empty() {
+                        return Ok(ExitStatus::Failure);
+                    }
                 }
             }
         }