diff --git a/act/container/container_types.go b/act/container/container_types.go
index a1b2f01c..16b9ed99 100644
--- a/act/container/container_types.go
+++ b/act/container/container_types.go
@@ -6,6 +6,7 @@ package container
 
 import (
 	"context"
+	"fmt"
 	"io"
 
 	"gitea.com/gitea/runner/act/common"
@@ -13,6 +14,13 @@ import (
 	"github.com/docker/go-connections/nat"
 )
 
+// ExitCodeError reports a non-zero process exit code from a container command.
+type ExitCodeError int
+
+func (e ExitCodeError) Error() string {
+	return fmt.Sprintf("Process completed with exit code %d.", int(e))
+}
+
 // NewContainerInput the input for the New function
 type NewContainerInput struct {
 	Image          string
diff --git a/act/container/docker_run.go b/act/container/docker_run.go
index bb9d8fb6..3aa891dc 100644
--- a/act/container/docker_run.go
+++ b/act/container/docker_run.go
@@ -633,14 +633,10 @@ func (cr *containerReference) exec(cmd []string, env map[string]string, user, wo
 			return fmt.Errorf("failed to inspect exec: %w", err)
 		}
 
-		switch inspectResp.ExitCode {
-		case 0:
+		if inspectResp.ExitCode == 0 {
 			return nil
-		case 127:
-			return fmt.Errorf("exitcode '%d': command not found, please refer to https://github.com/nektos/act/issues/107 for more information", inspectResp.ExitCode)
-		default:
-			return fmt.Errorf("exitcode '%d': failure", inspectResp.ExitCode)
 		}
+		return ExitCodeError(inspectResp.ExitCode)
 	}
 }
 
@@ -930,7 +926,7 @@ func (cr *containerReference) wait() common.Executor {
 			return nil
 		}
 
-		return fmt.Errorf("exit with `FAILURE`: %v", statusCode)
+		return ExitCodeError(statusCode)
 	}
 }
 
diff --git a/act/container/docker_run_test.go b/act/container/docker_run_test.go
index beae70ca..9194d8c4 100644
--- a/act/container/docker_run_test.go
+++ b/act/container/docker_run_test.go
@@ -23,6 +23,7 @@ import (
 	"github.com/sirupsen/logrus/hooks/test"
 	"github.com/stretchr/testify/assert"
 	"github.com/stretchr/testify/mock"
+	"github.com/stretchr/testify/require"
 )
 
 func TestDocker(t *testing.T) {
@@ -85,6 +86,11 @@ func (m *mockDockerClient) ContainerExecInspect(ctx context.Context, execID stri
 	return args.Get(0).(types.ContainerExecInspect), args.Error(1)
 }
 
+func (m *mockDockerClient) ContainerWait(ctx context.Context, containerID string, condition container.WaitCondition) (<-chan container.WaitResponse, <-chan error) {
+	args := m.Called(ctx, containerID, condition)
+	return args.Get(0).(<-chan container.WaitResponse), args.Get(1).(<-chan error)
+}
+
 func (m *mockDockerClient) CopyToContainer(ctx context.Context, id, path string, content io.Reader, options types.CopyToContainerOptions) error {
 	args := m.Called(ctx, id, path, content, options)
 	return args.Error(0)
@@ -174,12 +180,43 @@ func TestDockerExecFailure(t *testing.T) {
 	}
 
 	err := cr.exec([]string{""}, map[string]string{}, "user", "workdir")(ctx)
-	assert.Error(t, err, "exit with `FAILURE`: 1") //nolint:testifylint // pre-existing issue from nektos/act
+	var exitErr ExitCodeError
+	require.ErrorAs(t, err, &exitErr)
+	assert.Equal(t, ExitCodeError(1), exitErr)
+	assert.Equal(t, "Process completed with exit code 1.", err.Error())
 
 	conn.AssertExpectations(t)
 	client.AssertExpectations(t)
 }
 
+func TestDockerWaitFailure(t *testing.T) {
+	ctx := context.Background()
+
+	statusCh := make(chan container.WaitResponse, 1)
+	statusCh <- container.WaitResponse{StatusCode: 2}
+	errCh := make(chan error, 1)
+
+	client := &mockDockerClient{}
+	client.On("ContainerWait", ctx, "123", container.WaitConditionNotRunning).
+		Return((<-chan container.WaitResponse)(statusCh), (<-chan error)(errCh))
+
+	cr := &containerReference{
+		id:  "123",
+		cli: client,
+		input: &NewContainerInput{
+			Image: "image",
+		},
+	}
+
+	err := cr.wait()(ctx)
+	var exitErr ExitCodeError
+	require.ErrorAs(t, err, &exitErr)
+	assert.Equal(t, ExitCodeError(2), exitErr)
+	assert.Equal(t, "Process completed with exit code 2.", err.Error())
+
+	client.AssertExpectations(t)
+}
+
 func TestDockerCopyTarStream(t *testing.T) {
 	ctx := context.Background()
 
diff --git a/act/container/host_environment.go b/act/container/host_environment.go
index 68414187..121266b8 100644
--- a/act/container/host_environment.go
+++ b/act/container/host_environment.go
@@ -372,6 +372,10 @@ func (e *HostEnvironment) exec(ctx context.Context, command []string, cmdline st
 	}
 	err = cmd.Wait()
 	if err != nil {
+		var exitErr *exec.ExitError
+		if errors.As(err, &exitErr) {
+			return ExitCodeError(exitErr.ExitCode())
+		}
 		return err
 	}
 	if tty != nil {
diff --git a/act/container/host_environment_test.go b/act/container/host_environment_test.go
index a99a418b..4101e8ba 100644
--- a/act/container/host_environment_test.go
+++ b/act/container/host_environment_test.go
@@ -11,6 +11,7 @@ import (
 	"os"
 	"path"
 	"path/filepath"
+	"runtime"
 	"testing"
 
 	"gitea.com/gitea/runner/act/common"
@@ -74,6 +75,31 @@ func TestGetContainerArchive(t *testing.T) {
 	assert.ErrorIs(t, err, io.EOF)
 }
 
+func TestHostEnvironmentExecExitCode(t *testing.T) {
+	if runtime.GOOS == "windows" {
+		t.Skip("uses POSIX shell")
+	}
+	dir := t.TempDir()
+	ctx := context.Background()
+	e := &HostEnvironment{
+		Path:      filepath.Join(dir, "path"),
+		TmpDir:    filepath.Join(dir, "tmp"),
+		ToolCache: filepath.Join(dir, "tool_cache"),
+		ActPath:   filepath.Join(dir, "act_path"),
+		StdOut:    io.Discard,
+		Workdir:   filepath.Join(dir, "path"),
+	}
+	for _, p := range []string{e.Path, e.TmpDir, e.ToolCache, e.ActPath} {
+		assert.NoError(t, os.MkdirAll(p, 0o700)) //nolint:testifylint // test setup
+	}
+
+	err := e.Exec([]string{"sh", "-c", "exit 3"}, map[string]string{"PATH": os.Getenv("PATH")}, "", "")(ctx)
+	var exitErr ExitCodeError
+	require.ErrorAs(t, err, &exitErr)
+	assert.Equal(t, ExitCodeError(3), exitErr)
+	assert.Equal(t, "Process completed with exit code 3.", err.Error())
+}
+
 func TestHostEnvironmentRemoveCleansWorkdir(t *testing.T) {
 	logger := logrus.New()
 	ctx := common.WithLogger(context.Background(), logrus.NewEntry(logger))
diff --git a/act/runner/job_executor.go b/act/runner/job_executor.go
index 2001dea4..ed9f7062 100644
--- a/act/runner/job_executor.go
+++ b/act/runner/job_executor.go
@@ -24,6 +24,13 @@ type jobInfo interface {
 	result(result string)
 }
 
+// reportStepError emits the GitHub Actions ##[error] annotation and records
+// the error against the job so the job is reported as failed.
+func reportStepError(ctx context.Context, err error) {
+	common.Logger(ctx).Errorf("##[error]%v", err)
+	common.SetJobError(ctx, err)
+}
+
 func newJobExecutor(info jobInfo, sf stepFactory, rc *RunContext) common.Executor {
 	steps := make([]common.Executor, 0)
 	preSteps := make([]common.Executor, 0)
@@ -32,7 +39,7 @@ func newJobExecutor(info jobInfo, sf stepFactory, rc *RunContext) common.Executo
 	steps = append(steps, func(ctx context.Context) error {
 		logger := common.Logger(ctx)
 		if len(info.matrix()) > 0 {
-			logger.Infof("\U0001F9EA  Matrix: %v", info.matrix())
+			logger.Infof("Matrix: %v", info.matrix())
 		}
 		return nil
 	})
@@ -75,33 +82,36 @@ func newJobExecutor(info jobInfo, sf stepFactory, rc *RunContext) common.Executo
 
 		preExec := step.pre()
 		preSteps = append(preSteps, useStepLogger(rc, stepModel, stepStagePre, func(ctx context.Context) error {
-			logger := common.Logger(ctx)
 			preErr := preExec(ctx)
 			if preErr != nil {
-				logger.Errorf("%v", preErr)
-				common.SetJobError(ctx, preErr)
+				reportStepError(ctx, preErr)
 			} else if ctx.Err() != nil {
-				logger.Errorf("%v", ctx.Err())
-				common.SetJobError(ctx, ctx.Err())
+				reportStepError(ctx, ctx.Err())
 			}
 			return preErr
 		}))
 
 		stepExec := step.main()
 		steps = append(steps, useStepLogger(rc, stepModel, stepStageMain, func(ctx context.Context) error {
-			logger := common.Logger(ctx)
 			err := stepExec(ctx)
 			if err != nil {
-				logger.Errorf("%v", err)
-				common.SetJobError(ctx, err)
+				reportStepError(ctx, err)
 			} else if ctx.Err() != nil {
-				logger.Errorf("%v", ctx.Err())
-				common.SetJobError(ctx, ctx.Err())
+				reportStepError(ctx, ctx.Err())
 			}
 			return nil
 		}))
 
-		postExec := useStepLogger(rc, stepModel, stepStagePost, step.post())
+		postFn := step.post()
+		postExec := useStepLogger(rc, stepModel, stepStagePost, func(ctx context.Context) error {
+			err := postFn(ctx)
+			if err != nil {
+				reportStepError(ctx, err)
+			} else if ctx.Err() != nil {
+				reportStepError(ctx, ctx.Err())
+			}
+			return err
+		})
 		if postExecutor != nil {
 			// run the post executor in reverse order
 			postExecutor = postExec.Finally(postExecutor)
@@ -196,7 +206,7 @@ func setJobResult(ctx context.Context, info jobInfo, rc *RunContext, success boo
 		jobResultMessage = "failed"
 	}
 
-	logger.WithField("jobResult", jobResult).Infof("\U0001F3C1  Job %s", jobResultMessage)
+	logger.WithField("jobResult", jobResult).Infof("Job %s", jobResultMessage)
 }
 
 func setJobOutputs(ctx context.Context, rc *RunContext) {
diff --git a/act/runner/run_context.go b/act/runner/run_context.go
index 41302650..9a82ebe3 100644
--- a/act/runner/run_context.go
+++ b/act/runner/run_context.go
@@ -730,7 +730,7 @@ func (rc *RunContext) isEnabled(ctx context.Context) (bool, error) {
 	jobType, jobTypeErr := job.Type()
 
 	if runJobErr != nil {
-		return false, fmt.Errorf("  \u274C  Error in if-expression: \"if: %s\" (%s)", job.If.Value, runJobErr)
+		return false, fmt.Errorf("if-expression %q evaluation failed: %s", job.If.Value, runJobErr)
 	}
 
 	if jobType == model.JobTypeInvalid {
diff --git a/act/runner/step.go b/act/runner/step.go
index d4ee50ac..8a241acf 100644
--- a/act/runner/step.go
+++ b/act/runner/step.go
@@ -107,7 +107,7 @@ func runStepExecutor(step step, stage stepStage, executor common.Executor) commo
 		if strings.Contains(stepString, "::add-mask::") {
 			stepString = "add-mask command"
 		}
-		logger.Infof("\u2B50 Run %s %s", stage, stepString)
+		logger.Infof("Run %s %s", stage, stepString)
 
 		// Prepare and clean Runner File Commands
 		actPath := rc.JobContainer.GetActPath()
@@ -158,7 +158,7 @@ func runStepExecutor(step step, stage stepStage, executor common.Executor) commo
 		err = executor(timeoutctx)
 
 		if err == nil {
-			logger.WithField("stepResult", stepResult.Outcome).Infof("  \u2705  Success - %s %s", stage, stepString)
+			logger.WithField("stepResult", stepResult.Outcome).Infof("Success - %s %s", stage, stepString)
 		} else {
 			stepResult.Outcome = model.StepStatusFailure
 
@@ -169,6 +169,7 @@ func runStepExecutor(step step, stage stepStage, executor common.Executor) commo
 			}
 
 			if continueOnError {
+				logger.Errorf("##[error]%v", err)
 				logger.Infof("Failed but continue next step")
 				err = nil
 				stepResult.Conclusion = model.StepStatusSuccess
@@ -176,7 +177,9 @@ func runStepExecutor(step step, stage stepStage, executor common.Executor) commo
 				stepResult.Conclusion = model.StepStatusFailure
 			}
 
-			logger.WithField("stepResult", stepResult.Outcome).Errorf("  \u274C  Failure - %s %s", stage, stepString)
+			// Infof: Errorf entries are promoted to the user log by the reporter,
+			// which would duplicate the ##[error] annotation emitted elsewhere.
+			logger.WithField("stepResult", stepResult.Outcome).Infof("Failure - %s %s", stage, stepString)
 		}
 		// Process Runner File Commands
 		orgerr := err
@@ -268,7 +271,7 @@ func isStepEnabled(ctx context.Context, expr string, step step, stage stepStage)
 
 	runStep, err := EvalBool(ctx, rc.NewStepExpressionEvaluator(ctx, step), expr, defaultStatusCheck)
 	if err != nil {
-		return false, fmt.Errorf("  \u274C  Error in if-expression: \"if: %s\" (%s)", expr, err)
+		return false, fmt.Errorf("if-expression %q evaluation failed: %s", expr, err)
 	}
 
 	return runStep, nil
@@ -284,7 +287,7 @@ func isContinueOnError(ctx context.Context, expr string, step step, _ stepStage)
 
 	continueOnError, err := EvalBool(ctx, rc.NewStepExpressionEvaluator(ctx, step), expr, exprparser.DefaultStatusCheckNone)
 	if err != nil {
-		return false, fmt.Errorf("  \u274C  Error in continue-on-error-expression: \"continue-on-error: %s\" (%s)", expr, err)
+		return false, fmt.Errorf("continue-on-error expression %q evaluation failed: %s", expr, err)
 	}
 
 	return continueOnError, nil