diff --git a/CHANGES.md b/CHANGES.md
index 24a72a4..bbe08ca 100644
--- a/CHANGES.md
+++ b/CHANGES.md
@@ -5,6 +5,7 @@
 * Add `--sort-by-uncovered-lines` to sort output, so the file with the most missing lines is at the
   top. Thanks @guettli
 * Fix: JSON and YAML output when using `--ignore-regex` in `show` command. Thanks @OidaTiftla
+* Add `--fail-threshold` to return a non-zero exit code when the total number of uncovered lines exceeds the specified threshold
 
 ## 4.1.0 (2025-04-13)
 
diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index 71a4393..70ed5c5 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -219,6 +219,12 @@ $ pycobertura show --format github-annotation tests/cobertura.xml
 ::notice file=dummy/dummy4.py,line=1,endLine=6,title=pycobertura::not covered
 ```
 
+The following shows how to return a non-zero exit code when the total number of uncovered lines exceeds the specified threshold.
+
+```shell
+$ pycobertura show --fail-threshold=123 cobertura.xml
+```
+
 If you run it in GitHub Actions/Apps, the above log generates check annotations.
 
 ![Example output of github-annotation formatted pycobertura show command](images/example_github_annotation_show.png)
diff --git a/pycobertura/cli.py b/pycobertura/cli.py
index b5e9295..163368c 100644
--- a/pycobertura/cli.py
+++ b/pycobertura/cli.py
@@ -39,6 +39,7 @@ class ExitCodes:
     EXCEPTION = 1
     COVERAGE_WORSENED = 2
     NOT_ALL_CHANGES_COVERED = 3
+    TOTAL_MISSES_ABOVE_THRESHOLD = 4
 
 
 def get_exit_code(differ: CoberturaDiff, source):
@@ -121,6 +122,13 @@ def get_exit_code(differ: CoberturaDiff, source):
     default=False,
     help="Sort the summary so files with the most uncovered lines appear first.",
 )
+@click.option(
+    "--fail-threshold",
+    metavar="<threshold>",
+    type=click.IntRange(min=1),
+    help="Return a non-zero code if the total number of uncovered statements "
+    "exceeds the threshold.",
+)
 def show(
     cobertura_file,
     ignore_regex,
@@ -133,6 +141,7 @@ def show(
     annotation_level,
     annotation_title,
     annotation_message,
+    fail_threshold,
 ):
     """show coverage summary of a Cobertura report"""
 
@@ -146,7 +155,6 @@ def show(
     Reporter = reporters[format]
     reporter_kwargs = {}
     reporter_kwargs["sort_by_uncovered_lines"] = sort_by_uncovered_lines
-
     reporter = Reporter(cobertura, ignore_regex, **reporter_kwargs)
 
     if format == "csv":
@@ -166,6 +174,10 @@ def show(
     isatty = True if output is None else output.isatty()
     click.echo(report, file=output, nl=isatty)
 
+    if fail_threshold is not None:
+        if cobertura.total_misses() > fail_threshold:
+            raise SystemExit(ExitCodes.TOTAL_MISSES_ABOVE_THRESHOLD)
+
 
 delta_reporters = {
     "text": TextReporterDelta,
@@ -178,8 +190,7 @@ def show(
 }
 
 
-@pycobertura.command(
-    help="""\
+@pycobertura.command(help="""\
 The diff command compares and shows the changes between two Cobertura reports.
 
 NOTE: Reporting missing lines or showing the source code with the diff command
@@ -190,8 +201,7 @@ def show(
 options `--source1` and `--source2` are necessary to point to the source code
 directories (or zip archives). If the source is not available at all, pass
 `--no-source` but missing lines and source code will not be reported.
-"""
-)
+""")
 @click.argument("cobertura_file1")
 @click.argument("cobertura_file2")
 @click.option(
diff --git a/pycobertura/reporters.py b/pycobertura/reporters.py
index eef7a2f..29a8c05 100644
--- a/pycobertura/reporters.py
+++ b/pycobertura/reporters.py
@@ -13,7 +13,6 @@
 import json
 import io
 
-
 env = Environment(loader=PackageLoader("pycobertura", "templates"))
 env.filters["line_status"] = filters.line_status
 env.filters["line_reason"] = filters.line_reason_icon
diff --git a/tests/test_cli.py b/tests/test_cli.py
index 67a2284..e699e82 100644
--- a/tests/test_cli.py
+++ b/tests/test_cli.py
@@ -1,5 +1,6 @@
 import json
 import os
+from pycobertura.cli import ExitCodes
 import pytest
 from click.testing import CliRunner
 
@@ -12,6 +13,55 @@ def test_exit_codes():
     assert ExitCodes.EXCEPTION == 1
     assert ExitCodes.COVERAGE_WORSENED == 2
     assert ExitCodes.NOT_ALL_CHANGES_COVERED == 3
+    assert ExitCodes.TOTAL_MISSES_ABOVE_THRESHOLD == 4
+
+
+@pytest.mark.parametrize("fail_threshold, exit_code", ((1000, ExitCodes.OK), (1, ExitCodes.TOTAL_MISSES_ABOVE_THRESHOLD)))
+def test_show__fail_threshold__exit_status(fail_threshold, exit_code):
+    from pycobertura.cli import show
+
+    runner = CliRunner()
+    result = runner.invoke(show, [
+        'tests/dummy.original.xml',
+        f'--fail-threshold={fail_threshold}',
+    ], catch_exceptions=False)
+    assert result.exit_code == exit_code
+
+
+@pytest.mark.parametrize('fail_threshold', (-1, 0))
+def test_show__fail_threshold__invalid_value(fail_threshold):
+    from pycobertura.cli import show
+
+    runner = CliRunner()
+    result = runner.invoke(
+        show,
+        ['tests/dummy.original.xml', f'--fail-threshold={fail_threshold}'],
+        catch_exceptions=False,
+    )
+    assert result.output == f"""\
+Usage: show [OPTIONS] COBERTURA_FILE
+Try 'show --help' for help.
+
+Error: Invalid value for '--fail-threshold': {fail_threshold} is not in the range x>=1.
+"""
+
+
+@pytest.mark.parametrize('fail_threshold', (42.0, True, False, None))
+def test_show__fail_threshold__invalid_type(fail_threshold):
+    from pycobertura.cli import show
+
+    runner = CliRunner()
+    result = runner.invoke(
+        show,
+        ['tests/dummy.original.xml', f'--fail-threshold={fail_threshold}'],
+        catch_exceptions=False,
+    )
+    assert result.output == f"""\
+Usage: show [OPTIONS] COBERTURA_FILE
+Try 'show --help' for help.
+
+Error: Invalid value for '--fail-threshold': '{fail_threshold}' is not a valid integer range.
+"""
 
 
 def test_show__format_default():