rsh wrapper that correctly returns the exit code of the remote command, just like ssh does. This wrapper installs itself as rsh and calls the real rsh. Written for Bash.

rsh_with_remote_exit_code.sh

# This rsh wrapper supports reporting the exit code of the remote program.
# Assumes that remote shell is Bash or compatible and that you don't call
# exit directly (that would yield a return 127 regardless of the remote
# exit code!)
#
# Written by Schlomo Schapiro @ ImmobilienScout24
# Licensed under the GNU General Public License, see http://www.gnu.org/licenses/gpl.html for full text
#
function rsh {
    local res=$(
        if [[ "$1" ]] ; then 
            command -p rsh "$@" \; echo -n 'RSH_REMOTE_EXIT_CODE=$?'
        else 
            command -p rsh
        fi
        ) || return $?
    local exit_code="${res##*RSH_REMOTE_EXIT_CODE=}"
    if [[ ! -n "$exit_code" ]]; then
        exit_code=127
    fi
    res="${res%%RSH_REMOTE_EXIT_CODE*}"
    echo -n "$res"
    return $exit_code
}

test.sh

rsh other.host sudo service foobar start || fail_test Could not start foobar service
rsh other.host sudo service foobar status || fail_test Service not running after start
rsh other.host sudo service foobar stop || fail_test Could not stop foobar service
! rsh other.host sudo service foobar status || fail_test Service still active after stop