diff --git a/docs/04_upgrading/upgrading_to_v4.md b/docs/04_upgrading/upgrading_to_v4.md
index edb105a7..e318ab75 100644
--- a/docs/04_upgrading/upgrading_to_v4.md
+++ b/docs/04_upgrading/upgrading_to_v4.md
@@ -85,6 +85,24 @@ run = await Actor.start('my-actor-id', wait_for_finish=60)
 run = await Actor.call('my-actor-id', wait=timedelta(seconds=60))
 ```
 
+## Actor exit codes and control-flow exceptions
+
+Exiting the Actor context (`async with Actor:`, `Actor.exit()`, or `Actor.fail()`) no longer maps every exception to a generic failure. In v3, any exception leaving the Actor context was logged as `Actor failed with an exception` and forced the exit code to `91`, even when you'd requested a different one. In v4 the exit code follows the exception:
+
+- A regular `Exception` still exits with `91` (`EXIT_CODE_ERROR_USER_FUNCTION_THREW`), but only when you haven't chosen an exit code yourself. `Actor.fail(exit_code=..., exception=...)` now honors the code you pass.
+- `SystemExit` keeps its own code, so `sys.exit(n)` inside the Actor block exits with `n` instead of `91`.
+- `KeyboardInterrupt` (Ctrl+C) and `asyncio.CancelledError` are re-raised after cleanup instead of being swallowed. Interrupt and cancellation semantics are preserved, and neither is logged as `Actor failed with an exception`.
+
+If you relied on `Actor.fail(exception=...)` always producing exit code `91`, pass it explicitly with `Actor.fail(exit_code=91, exception=...)`. Mapping specific errors to specific exit codes now works as documented:
+
+```python
+try:
+    await do_work()
+except ValueError as exc:
+    # v3 exited with 91; v4 exits with the requested 10.
+    await Actor.fail(exit_code=10, exception=exc)
+```
+
 ## Built on apify-client v3
 
 The SDK is now built on [`apify-client`](https://docs.apify.com/api/client/python) v3 and no longer depends on `apify-shared`. The sections below cover the user-visible consequences; see the client's [Upgrading to v3](https://docs.apify.com/api/client/python/docs/upgrading/upgrading-to-v3) guide for the full list of changes in the client itself.
diff --git a/src/apify/_actor.py b/src/apify/_actor.py
index 23c70e9d..e1acf238 100644
--- a/src/apify/_actor.py
+++ b/src/apify/_actor.py
@@ -221,8 +221,11 @@ async def __aexit__(
     ) -> None:
         """Exit the Actor context.
 
-        If the block exits with an exception, the Actor fails with a non-zero exit code.
-        Otherwise, it exits cleanly. In both cases the Actor:
+        If the block raises a regular exception, the Actor fails with `EXIT_CODE_ERROR_USER_FUNCTION_THREW`,
+        unless an exit code was already set explicitly (e.g. via `fail(exit_code=...)`). A `SystemExit` keeps
+        its own exit code, while `KeyboardInterrupt` and `asyncio.CancelledError` are re-raised after cleanup
+        so interrupt and cancellation semantics are preserved. Otherwise, the Actor exits cleanly. In every
+        case the Actor:
 
         - Cancels periodic `PERSIST_STATE` events.
         - Sends a final `PERSIST_STATE` event.
@@ -236,11 +239,20 @@ async def __aexit__(
         if not self._active:
             raise RuntimeError('The _ActorType is not active. Use it within the async context.')
 
-        if exc_value and not is_running_in_ipython():
-            # In IPython, we don't run `sys.exit()` during Actor exits,
-            # so the exception traceback will be printed on its own
+        # Only a regular `Exception` (or `SystemExit`, below) is a failure. Any other `BaseException`
+        # (Ctrl+C, cancellation, ...) is a control-flow signal: clean up, then let it propagate.
+        reraise_control_flow = exc_value is not None and not isinstance(exc_value, (Exception, SystemExit))
+
+        if isinstance(exc_value, SystemExit):
+            # Keep the code from `sys.exit()` (no argument means a clean exit).
+            code = exc_value.code
+            self.exit_code = code if isinstance(code, int) else 0 if code is None else 1
+        elif isinstance(exc_value, Exception) and not is_running_in_ipython():
+            # In IPython we don't call `sys.exit()`, so the traceback prints on its own.
             self.log.exception('Actor failed with an exception', exc_info=exc_value)
-            self.exit_code = EXIT_CODE_ERROR_USER_FUNCTION_THREW
+            # Fall back to the error code only if the caller hasn't chosen one (e.g. via `fail(exit_code=...)`).
+            if self.exit_code == 0:
+                self.exit_code = EXIT_CODE_ERROR_USER_FUNCTION_THREW
 
         self._is_exiting = True
         self.log.info('Exiting Actor', extra={'exit_code': self.exit_code})
@@ -278,6 +290,10 @@ async def finalize() -> None:
         finally:
             self._active = False
 
+        if reraise_control_flow:
+            # Return without `sys.exit()` so the original exception re-raises.
+            return
+
         if self._exit_process:
             sys.exit(self.exit_code)
 
diff --git a/tests/unit/actor/test_actor_lifecycle.py b/tests/unit/actor/test_actor_lifecycle.py
index d1bcdcbf..7307fa23 100644
--- a/tests/unit/actor/test_actor_lifecycle.py
+++ b/tests/unit/actor/test_actor_lifecycle.py
@@ -199,6 +199,51 @@ async def test_unhandled_exception_sets_error_exit_code() -> None:
     assert actor.exit_code == EXIT_CODE_ERROR_USER_FUNCTION_THREW
 
 
+async def test_fail_respects_explicit_exit_code_with_exception(actor: _ActorType) -> None:
+    """fail(exit_code=X, exception=e) must honor the requested exit code, not override it with the error code."""
+    await actor.fail(exit_code=42, exception=ValueError('boom'))
+    assert actor.exit_code == 42
+
+
+@pytest.mark.parametrize(
+    ('system_exit', 'expected_code'),
+    [
+        pytest.param(SystemExit(5), 5, id='nonzero'),
+        pytest.param(SystemExit(), 0, id='no-code'),
+    ],
+)
+async def test_system_exit_in_block_preserves_exit_code(system_exit: SystemExit, expected_code: int) -> None:
+    """sys.exit(n) inside the Actor block must propagate its own code, not the user-function-threw code."""
+    actor = Actor(exit_process=False)
+    with pytest.raises(SystemExit):
+        async with actor:
+            raise system_exit
+
+    assert actor.exit_code == expected_code
+
+
+async def test_keyboard_interrupt_propagates_unchanged(caplog: pytest.LogCaptureFixture) -> None:
+    """Ctrl+C must propagate as KeyboardInterrupt, not become a logged failure with the error exit code."""
+    actor = Actor(exit_process=True)
+    with pytest.raises(KeyboardInterrupt):
+        async with actor:
+            raise KeyboardInterrupt
+
+    assert actor.exit_code != EXIT_CODE_ERROR_USER_FUNCTION_THREW
+    assert not [r for r in caplog.records if r.msg == 'Actor failed with an exception']
+
+
+async def test_cancelled_error_propagates_unchanged(caplog: pytest.LogCaptureFixture) -> None:
+    """asyncio.CancelledError must propagate (cancellation contract), not be swallowed as an Actor failure."""
+    actor = Actor(exit_process=True)
+    with pytest.raises(asyncio.CancelledError):
+        async with actor:
+            raise asyncio.CancelledError
+
+    assert actor.exit_code != EXIT_CODE_ERROR_USER_FUNCTION_THREW
+    assert not [r for r in caplog.records if r.msg == 'Actor failed with an exception']
+
+
 async def test_actor_stops_periodic_events_after_exit(monkeypatch: pytest.MonkeyPatch) -> None:
     """Test that periodic events (PERSIST_STATE and SYSTEM_INFO) stop emitting after Actor exits."""
     monkeypatch.setenv(ApifyEnvVars.SYSTEM_INFO_INTERVAL_MILLIS, '100')