diff --git a/gitprompt.sh b/gitprompt.sh
index 9c56dec..a534525 100755
--- a/gitprompt.sh
+++ b/gitprompt.sh
@@ -185,6 +185,24 @@ git_prompt_reset() {
   done
 }
 
+# gp_format_exit_status RETVAL
+#
+# echos the symbolic signal name represented by RETVAL if the process was 
+# signalled, otherwise echos the original value of RETVAL
+
+gp_format_exit_status() {
+    local RETVAL="$1"
+    local SIGNAL
+    # Suppress STDERR in case RETVAL is not an integer (in such cases, RETVAL 
+    # is echoed verbatim)
+    if [ "${RETVAL}" -gt 128 ] 2>/dev/null; then
+        SIGNAL=$(( ${RETVAL} - 128 ))
+        kill -l "${SIGNAL}" 2>/dev/null || echo "${RETVAL}"
+    else
+        echo "${RETVAL}"
+    fi
+}
+
 function git_prompt_config()
 {
   #Checking if root to change output
@@ -214,6 +232,7 @@ function git_prompt_config()
   fi
 
   # replace _LAST_COMMAND_STATE_ token with the actual state
+  GIT_PROMPT_LAST_COMMAND_STATE=$(gp_format_exit_status ${GIT_PROMPT_LAST_COMMAND_STATE})
   LAST_COMMAND_INDICATOR="${LAST_COMMAND_INDICATOR//_LAST_COMMAND_STATE_/${GIT_PROMPT_LAST_COMMAND_STATE}}"
 
   # Do this only once to define PROMPT_START and PROMPT_END