While testing a charm I tried using a wildcard syntax which includes an asterisk and that caused juju (not the charm) to return "ERROR yaml: did not find expected alphabetic or numeric character". Removing the asterisk made juju to return 0 as an exit code.
juju run-action vault/0 upload-signed-csr pem=`base64 -w0 vault.csr` root-ca=`base64 -w0 ca.crt` allow-any-name=true allow-subdomains=true allowed-domains='*.maas' --debug
17:21:13 INFO juju.cmd supercommand.go:56 running juju [2.4.3 gc go1.10]
17:21:13 DEBUG juju.cmd supercommand.go:57 args: []string{"/snap/juju/5139/bin/juju", "run-action", "vault/0", "upload-signed-csr", "pem=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", "root-ca=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", "allow-any-name=true", "allow-subdomains=true", "allowed-domains=*.maas", "--debug"}
17:21:13 INFO juju.juju api.go:67 connecting to API addresses: [10.232.1.60:17070 10.232.6.228:17070 10.232.6.227:17070]
17:21:13 DEBUG juju.api apiclient.go:877 successfully dialed "wss://10.232.1.60:17070/model/93933e99-8037-4392-80e1-ef2f5306074d/api"
17:21:13 INFO juju.api apiclient.go:599 connection established to "wss://10.232.1.60:17070/model/93933e99-8037-4392-80e1-ef2f5306074d/api"
17:21:14 DEBUG juju.api monitor.go:35 RPC connection died
ERROR yaml: did not find expected alphabetic or numeric character
juju run-action vault/0 upload-signed-csr pem=`base64 -w0 vault.csr` root-ca=`base64 -w0 ca.crt` allow-any-name=true allow-subdomains=true allowed-domains='.maas' --debug
17:21:26 INFO juju.cmd supercommand.go:56 running juju [2.4.3 gc go1.10]
17:21:26 DEBUG juju.cmd supercommand.go:57 args: []string{"/snap/juju/5139/bin/juju", "run-action", "vault/0", "upload-signed-csr", "pem=LS0tLS1CRUdJTiBDRVJUSUZJQ0FURSBSRVFVRVNULS0tLS0KTUlJQzJ6Q0NBY01DQVFBd2daVXhDekFKQmdOVkJBWVRBbFZUTVFzd0NRWURWUVFJRXdKRFFURVpNQmNHQTFVRQpDaE1RUm1sbGJHUkZibWRwYm1WbGNtbHVaekVaTUJjR0ExVUVDeE1RUm1sbGJHUkZibWRwYm1WbGNtbHVaekZECk1FRUdBMVVFQXhNNlZtRjFiSFFnU1c1MFpYSnRaV1JwWVhSbElFTmxjblJwWm1sallYUmxJRUYxZEdodmNtbDAKZVNBb1kyaGhjbTB0Y0d0cExXeHZZMkZzS1RDQ0FTSXdEUVlKS29aSWh2Y05BUUVCQlFBRGdnRVBBRENDQVFvQwpnZ0VCQU5zeHNYSndMbzJ1R3hoZG9MdFppMzlWSk1jSUFaT2RCbkgwQ1Z4VGc0R0xMNWpNTlBjRzcrUG5RNER1CjhmWVlZZEpabzd1dE1MOGx4RHNOVzdwVmFtZCtpYTA0NDRydkRXMlFIaDZ5RFRpTzVEd09IR2MzUjlEUHZwd1oKRURkWjE0YlpCbDdWZ1JZUkFva1BUNk9QVkVpOWlsNTFFMGNoZFJmY2J4V2RkNlJyUUl2UFgxWUJlb04zL1dlYQpKUUhxR1llOU9GNktrWUw5aFRWc1F4d2l0VE9JQlNHcDRVRG4wRzVDVFVaZll1ZGpuTTREdXNIK0JPZmg3Y0FHCmo4YXRYZWdDVUR3bUdqTGp4NmZqMUdGQmZIdzVyOGVjam95eFZWU3V4Z1NZeGN1K0RVZGVsNDFWTzRlbmJORVgKQUdGRCt0bVZYdEZ4R3daUWdiZnpTdE14d3VVQ0F3RUFBYUFBTUEwR0NTcUdTSWIzRFFFQkN3VUFBNElCQVFDMQpSbGI2MTNlSnEvM0REUm9PR0g4SEdWem1pVnI4ekhHRHZCNmw0cWdDWFlBSWNyOW5lNjAyL3JhdGJBMUliRFZ1CkVuRzFKMzlGeDExYis2MzlFVDdlc0VnUjhkWmZ5QWV2dXdTOE5NUlA1YXNSWG5tVU12NzVzOEtGakI2bTF6cjgKbzloeDY4SW11eE1WdTdvZVNCUHBWcXgzNlhWVXBreW5lZk9LdmhvVUZlZXJ3NGpMdkdIN0dLcUl2UGo2cFhNWQp2c1IxRHo4ak5UVEFWc2VaOHAvMGNLVjJzaFFCczJnSVlyT2FoSlZXdHhxRFl5WUZiMUY2M050MG1TOHR1NjEzClp5OEQ3MVlaREhpYnptRktiM1hwKzlXWG9pY3VwNEcvM3ZYK2J6cHhRNTNCb1pxd1VrUUdNa2JnWGlqdngyV2kKK0lKZ214bTJNakpFWERJM2xvQVMKLS0tLS1FTkQgQ0VSVElGSUNBVEUgUkVRVUVTVC0tLS0tCgo=", "root-ca=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", "allow-any-name=true", "allow-subdomains=true", "allowed-domains=.maas", "--debug"}
17:21:26 INFO juju.juju api.go:67 connecting to API addresses: [10.232.1.60:17070 10.232.6.228:17070 10.232.6.227:17070]
17:21:26 DEBUG juju.api apiclient.go:877 successfully dialed "wss://10.232.1.60:17070/model/93933e99-8037-4392-80e1-ef2f5306074d/api"
17:21:26 INFO juju.api apiclient.go:599 connection established to "wss://10.232.1.60:17070/model/93933e99-8037-4392-80e1-ef2f5306074d/api"
Action queued with id: 5ca67384-22d7-478e-8818-274db7662bd8
17:21:26 DEBUG juju.api monitor.go:35 RPC connection died
17:21:26 INFO cmd supercommand.go:465 command finished
That is indeed very weird.