diff --git a/include/nm-test-utils.h b/include/nm-test-utils.h
index 54a326904c..6d4f790cc9 100644
--- a/include/nm-test-utils.h
+++ b/include/nm-test-utils.h
@@ -400,6 +400,8 @@ __nmtst_init (int *argc, char ***argv, gboolean assert_logging, const char *log_
 		*out_set_logging = TRUE;
 #endif
 		g_assert (success);
+		if (__nmtst_internal.no_expect_message)
+			g_log_set_always_fatal (G_LOG_FATAL_MASK);
 	} else if (__nmtst_internal.no_expect_message) {
 		/* We have a test that would be assert_logging, but the user specified no_expect_message.
 		 * This transforms g_test_expect_message() into a NOP, but we also have to relax