diff --git a/samples/cxx/flamespeed/flamespeed.cpp b/samples/cxx/flamespeed/flamespeed.cpp
index 96b5b3c64..5960ab1cd 100644
--- a/samples/cxx/flamespeed/flamespeed.cpp
+++ b/samples/cxx/flamespeed/flamespeed.cpp
@@ -258,13 +258,12 @@ int flamespeed(int np, void* p)
                     flow.grid(n), Tvec[n], Uvec[n], COvec[n], CO2vec[n]);
         }
         fclose(FP);
-
-        return 0;
     } catch (CanteraError& err) {
         std::cerr << err.what() << std::endl;
         std::cerr << "program terminating." << endl;
         return -1;
     }
+    return 0;
 }
 
 #ifndef CXX_DEMO
diff --git a/test_problems/cxx_ex/kinetics_example1.cpp b/test_problems/cxx_ex/kinetics_example1.cpp
index 0808bbd1a..551cc2f9d 100644
--- a/test_problems/cxx_ex/kinetics_example1.cpp
+++ b/test_problems/cxx_ex/kinetics_example1.cpp
@@ -105,14 +105,12 @@ int kinetics_example1(int job)
              << "  kin1.dat    (Tecplot data file)" << endl;
 
         delete gg;
-        return 0;
-    }
-
-    // handle exceptions thrown by Cantera
-    catch (CanteraError& err) {
+    } catch (CanteraError& err) {
+        // handle exceptions thrown by Cantera
         std::cout << err.what() << std::endl;
         cout << " terminating... " << endl;
         appdelete();
         return -1;
     }
+    return 0;
 }
diff --git a/test_problems/cxx_ex/kinetics_example2.cpp b/test_problems/cxx_ex/kinetics_example2.cpp
index 5391803ef..6895447b9 100644
--- a/test_problems/cxx_ex/kinetics_example2.cpp
+++ b/test_problems/cxx_ex/kinetics_example2.cpp
@@ -21,9 +21,7 @@ using namespace Cantera;
 
 int kinetics_example2(int job)
 {
-
     try {
-
         std::cout << "Ignition simulation using class GRI30." << std::endl;
 
         if (job >= 1) {
@@ -95,15 +93,12 @@ int kinetics_example2(int job)
         std::cout << "Output files:" << std::endl
                   << "  kin2.csv    (Excel CSV file)" << std::endl
                   << "  kin2.dat    (Tecplot data file)" << std::endl;
-
-        return 0;
-    }
-
-    // handle exceptions thrown by Cantera
-    catch (CanteraError& err) {
+    } catch (CanteraError& err) {
+        // handle exceptions thrown by Cantera
         std::cout << err.what() << std::endl;
         std::cout << " terminating... " << std::endl;
         appdelete();
         return -1;
     }
+    return 0;
 }
diff --git a/test_problems/cxx_ex/kinetics_example3.cpp b/test_problems/cxx_ex/kinetics_example3.cpp
index 971a7aa02..cf720771e 100644
--- a/test_problems/cxx_ex/kinetics_example3.cpp
+++ b/test_problems/cxx_ex/kinetics_example3.cpp
@@ -27,7 +27,6 @@ using std::endl;
 
 int kinetics_example3(int job)
 {
-
     try {
 
         cout << "Ignition simulation using class IdealGasMix "
@@ -104,14 +103,12 @@ int kinetics_example3(int job)
              << "  kin3.dat    (Tecplot data file)" << endl;
 
         delete gg;
-        return 0;
-    }
-
-    // handle exceptions thrown by Cantera
-    catch (CanteraError& err) {
+    } catch (CanteraError& err) {
+        // handle exceptions thrown by Cantera
         std::cout << err.what() << std::endl;
         cout << " terminating... " << endl;
         appdelete();
         return -1;
     }
+    return 0;
 }
diff --git a/test_problems/cxx_ex/rxnpath_example1.cpp b/test_problems/cxx_ex/rxnpath_example1.cpp
index ec6feaf30..2cc0f4616 100644
--- a/test_problems/cxx_ex/rxnpath_example1.cpp
+++ b/test_problems/cxx_ex/rxnpath_example1.cpp
@@ -75,7 +75,6 @@ void writeRxnPathDiagram(double time, ReactionPathBuilder& b,
 
 int rxnpath_example1(int job)
 {
-
     try {
 
         cout << "Reaction path diagram movies with file gri30.cti." << endl;
@@ -145,15 +144,12 @@ int rxnpath_example1(int job)
         cout << "To generate the diagrams in Postscript, execute the command" << endl << endl
              << "dot -Tps rp1.dot > rp1.ps" << endl << endl
              << "Get dot for Windows here: http://blue.caltech.edu/dot.exe" << endl;
-
-        return 0;
-    }
-
-    // handle exceptions thrown by Cantera
-    catch (CanteraError& err) {
+    } catch (CanteraError& err) {
+        // handle exceptions thrown by Cantera
         std::cout << err.what() << std::endl;
         cout << " terminating... " << endl;
         appdelete();
         return -1;
     }
+    return 0;
 }
diff --git a/test_problems/cxx_ex/transport_example1.cpp b/test_problems/cxx_ex/transport_example1.cpp
index a6af34af0..fbdc28352 100644
--- a/test_problems/cxx_ex/transport_example1.cpp
+++ b/test_problems/cxx_ex/transport_example1.cpp
@@ -40,9 +40,7 @@ void plotTransportSoln(std::string fname, std::string fmt, std::string title,
 
 int transport_example1(int job)
 {
-
     try {
-
         cout << "Mixture-averaged transport properties." << endl;
         if (job > 0) {
             cout << "Viscosity, thermal conductivity, and mixture-averaged\n"
@@ -92,15 +90,12 @@ int transport_example1(int job)
         cout << "Output files:" << endl
              << "  tr1.csv    (Excel CSV file)" << endl
              << "  tr1.dat    (Tecplot data file)" << endl;
-
-        return 0;
-    }
-
-    // handle exceptions thrown by Cantera
-    catch (CanteraError& err) {
+    } catch (CanteraError& err) {
+        // handle exceptions thrown by Cantera
         std::cout << err.what() << std::endl;
         cout << " terminating... " << endl;
         appdelete();
         return -1;
     }
+    return 0;
 }
diff --git a/test_problems/cxx_ex/transport_example2.cpp b/test_problems/cxx_ex/transport_example2.cpp
index 2cf6700ed..2fb2864dd 100644
--- a/test_problems/cxx_ex/transport_example2.cpp
+++ b/test_problems/cxx_ex/transport_example2.cpp
@@ -41,9 +41,7 @@ void plotTransportSoln(std::string fname, std::string fmt, std::string title,
 
 int transport_example2(int job)
 {
-
     try {
-
         cout << "Multicomponent transport properties." << endl;
         if (job > 0) {
             cout << "Viscosity, thermal conductivity, and thermal diffusion\n"
@@ -62,14 +60,12 @@ int transport_example2(int job)
         gas.setState_TPX(temp, pres, "H2:1.0, O2:0.5, CH4:0.1, N2:0.2");
         equilibrate(gas,"TP");
 
-
         // create a transport manager that implements
         // multicomponent transport properties
 
         Transport* tr = newTransportMgr("Multi",  &gas);
         int nsp = gas.nSpecies();
 
-
         // create a 2D array to hold the outputs
         int ntemps = 20;
         Array2D output(nsp+3, ntemps);
@@ -94,15 +90,12 @@ int transport_example2(int job)
         cout << "Output files:" << endl
              << "  tr2.csv    (Excel CSV file)" << endl
              << "  tr2.dat    (Tecplot data file)" << endl;
-
-        return 0;
-    }
-
-    // handle exceptions thrown by Cantera
-    catch (CanteraError& err) {
+    } catch (CanteraError& err) {
+        // handle exceptions thrown by Cantera
         std::cout << err.what() << std::endl;
         cout << " terminating... " << endl;
         appdelete();
         return -1;
     }
+    return 0;
 }