diff --git a/bash_unit b/bash_unit
index 87e177d..8dee7ed 100755
--- a/bash_unit
+++ b/bash_unit
@@ -218,7 +218,8 @@ run_test_suite() {
 
   if run_setup_suite
   then
-    run_tests || failure=$?
+    run_tests
+    failure=$?
   else
     failure=1
   fi
@@ -273,8 +274,16 @@ run_tests() {
     (
       local status=0
       declare -F | "$GREP" ' setup$' >/dev/null && setup
-      (__bash_unit_current_test__="$test" run_test) || status=$?
-      declare -F | "$GREP" ' teardown$' >/dev/null && teardown
+      # make sure teardown runs even if the test fails
+      local has_teardown=0
+      # shellcheck disable=SC2034  # foo appears unused. Verify it or export it.
+      declare -F | "$GREP" ' teardown$' >/dev/null && has_teardown=1
+      trap '((has_teardown)) && teardown' EXIT
+
+      # NOTE: we do *not* want to use the || or && syntax with the subshell
+      # below because it would cause the set -e in run_test to be ignored
+      ( __bash_unit_current_test__="$test" run_test )
+      status=$?
       exit $status
     )
     failure=$(( $? || failure))
@@ -284,9 +293,18 @@ run_tests() {
 }
 
 run_test() {
-  set -e
   notify_test_starting "$__bash_unit_current_test__"
-  "$__bash_unit_current_test__" && notify_test_succeeded "$__bash_unit_current_test__"
+  (
+    set -e
+    "$__bash_unit_current_test__"
+  )
+  local status=$?
+  if (( status != 0 )); then
+    # notify_test_failed "$__bash_unit_current_test__"
+    exit $status
+  else
+    notify_test_succeeded "$__bash_unit_current_test__"
+  fi
 }
 
 run_teardown_suite() {
diff --git a/tests/test_cli.sh b/tests/test_cli.sh
index fc32fa7..5959348 100644
--- a/tests/test_cli.sh
+++ b/tests/test_cli.sh
@@ -31,6 +31,27 @@ EOF
 )"
 }
 
+test_exit_code_not_0_in_case_of_non_zero_exit_code() {
+  assert_fails "$BASH_UNIT <($CAT << EOF
+function test_fails()   { false ; }
+EOF
+)"
+}
+
+test_exit_code_0_in_case_of_zero_exit_code() {
+  assert "$BASH_UNIT <($CAT << EOF
+function test_succeeds()   { true ; }
+EOF
+)"
+}
+
+test_exit_code_not_0_in_case_of_non_zero_exit_code_followed_by_zero_exit_code() {
+  assert_fails "$BASH_UNIT <($CAT << EOF
+function test_fails()   { false ; true ; }
+EOF
+)"
+}
+
 test_run_all_file_parameters() {
   bash_unit_output=$($BASH_UNIT \
     <(echo "test_one() { echo -n ; }") \
diff --git a/tests/test_core.sh b/tests/test_core.sh
index cc3bd27..19a8081 100644
--- a/tests/test_core.sh
+++ b/tests/test_core.sh
@@ -151,7 +151,8 @@ test_assert_status_code_fails() {
 test_assert_shows_stderr_on_failure() {
   message="$(with_bash_unit_err \
     assert 'echo some error message >&2; echo some ok message; echo another ok message; exit 2'
-  )"
+  )" || true
+  # )"
 
   assert_equals "\
 some error message" \
@@ -161,7 +162,8 @@ some error message" \
 test_assert_shows_stdout_on_failure() {
   message="$(with_bash_unit_out \
     assert 'echo some error message >&2; echo some ok message; echo another ok message; exit 2'
-  )"
+  )" || true
+  # )"
 
   assert_equals "\
 some ok message