diff --git a/frontend/main.c b/frontend/main.c
index deeaf6d6d..98bb57e6c 100644
--- a/frontend/main.c
+++ b/frontend/main.c
@@ -5680,7 +5680,8 @@ wet_main(int argc, char *argv[], const struct weston_testsuite_data *test_data)
 			goto out;
 	}
 
-	wl_display_run(display);
+	if (wet.compositor->exit_code == EXIT_SUCCESS)
+		wl_display_run(display);
 
 	/* Allow for setting return exit code after
 	* wl_display_run returns normally. This is