diff --git a/test/TEST-04-JOURNAL/test.sh b/test/TEST-04-JOURNAL/test.sh
index e37cb7d412..6c5b5cf34e 100755
--- a/test/TEST-04-JOURNAL/test.sh
+++ b/test/TEST-04-JOURNAL/test.sh
@@ -60,7 +60,7 @@ EOF
         cp test-journal.sh $initdir/
 
         setup_testsuite
-    )
+    ) || return 1
     setup_nspawn_root
 
     ddebug "umount $TESTDIR/root"