diff --git a/changelog/4292.feature.rst b/changelog/4292.feature.rst
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..27d113ba069
--- /dev/null
+++ b/changelog/4292.feature.rst
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+``pytest.outcomes.Exit`` is derived from ``SystemExit`` instead of ``KeyboardInterrupt``.
diff --git a/src/_pytest/main.py b/src/_pytest/main.py
index 08490f03aa6..d0d826bb653 100644
--- a/src/_pytest/main.py
+++ b/src/_pytest/main.py
@@ -205,7 +205,7 @@ def wrap_session(config, doit):
             raise
         except Failed:
             session.exitstatus = EXIT_TESTSFAILED
-        except KeyboardInterrupt:
+        except (KeyboardInterrupt, exit.Exception):
             excinfo = _pytest._code.ExceptionInfo.from_current()
             exitstatus = EXIT_INTERRUPTED
             if initstate <= 2 and isinstance(excinfo.value, exit.Exception):
diff --git a/src/_pytest/outcomes.py b/src/_pytest/outcomes.py
index cd08c0d48e4..714be308834 100644
--- a/src/_pytest/outcomes.py
+++ b/src/_pytest/outcomes.py
@@ -49,13 +49,13 @@ class Failed(OutcomeException):
     __module__ = "builtins"
 
 
-class Exit(KeyboardInterrupt):
+class Exit(SystemExit):
     """ raised for immediate program exits (no tracebacks/summaries)"""
 
     def __init__(self, msg="unknown reason", returncode=None):
         self.msg = msg
         self.returncode = returncode
-        KeyboardInterrupt.__init__(self, msg)
+        SystemExit.__init__(self, msg)
 
 
 # exposed helper methods
@@ -63,7 +63,7 @@ def __init__(self, msg="unknown reason", returncode=None):
 
 def exit(msg, returncode=None):
     """
-    Exit testing process as if KeyboardInterrupt was triggered.
+    Exit testing process as if SystemExit was triggered.
 
     :param str msg: message to display upon exit.
     :param int returncode: return code to be used when exiting pytest.
diff --git a/src/_pytest/runner.py b/src/_pytest/runner.py
index 27f244a80e0..538e13403a7 100644
--- a/src/_pytest/runner.py
+++ b/src/_pytest/runner.py
@@ -15,6 +15,7 @@
 from .reports import CollectReport
 from .reports import TestReport
 from _pytest._code.code import ExceptionInfo
+from _pytest.outcomes import Exit
 from _pytest.outcomes import skip
 from _pytest.outcomes import Skipped
 from _pytest.outcomes import TEST_OUTCOME
@@ -190,10 +191,11 @@ def check_interactive_exception(call, report):
 def call_runtest_hook(item, when, **kwds):
     hookname = "pytest_runtest_" + when
     ihook = getattr(item.ihook, hookname)
+    reraise = (Exit,)
+    if not item.config.getvalue("usepdb"):
+        reraise += (KeyboardInterrupt,)
     return CallInfo.from_call(
-        lambda: ihook(item=item, **kwds),
-        when=when,
-        reraise=KeyboardInterrupt if not item.config.getvalue("usepdb") else (),
+        lambda: ihook(item=item, **kwds), when=when, reraise=reraise
     )
 
 
diff --git a/testing/test_runner.py b/testing/test_runner.py
index 916c2ea4ae3..ae129d06d27 100644
--- a/testing/test_runner.py
+++ b/testing/test_runner.py
@@ -553,7 +553,7 @@ def test_outcomeexception_passes_except_Exception():
 def test_pytest_exit():
     with pytest.raises(pytest.exit.Exception) as excinfo:
         pytest.exit("hello")
-    assert excinfo.errisinstance(KeyboardInterrupt)
+    assert excinfo.errisinstance(pytest.exit.Exception)
 
 
 def test_pytest_fail():