diff --git a/tests/abuild_test b/tests/abuild_test
index 4dbef8d..efd01b8 100755
--- a/tests/abuild_test
+++ b/tests/abuild_test
@@ -5,7 +5,8 @@ init_tests \
 	abuild_help \
 	abuild_invalid_opt \
 	abuild_version \
-	abuild_simple_pkg_without_deps
+	abuild_simple_pkg_without_deps \
+	abuild_build_fail
 
 export ABUILD_SHAREDIR=$(atf_get_srcdir)/..
 export ABUILD_CONF=/dev/null
@@ -44,3 +45,32 @@ abuild_simple_pkg_without_deps_body() {
 		abuild
 }
 
+abuild_build_fail_body() {
+	mkdir buildfail
+	cat >buildfail/APKBUILD <<-EOF
+		# Maintainer: Natanael Copa <ncopa@alpinelinux.org>
+		pkgname="buildfail"
+		pkgver="1.0"
+		pkgrel=0
+		pkgdesc="Dummy test package that fails to build"
+		url="https://gitlab.alpinelinux.org/alpine/aports"
+		arch="noarch"
+		license="MIT"
+		subpackages="\$pkgname-dev \$pkgname-doc"
+		source=""
+		prepare() {
+			mkdir -p "\$builddir"
+		}
+		build() {
+			false
+		}
+		package() {
+			true
+		}
+	EOF
+	cd buildfail
+	atf_check -s exit:1 \
+		-e match:"ERROR: buildfail: build failed" \
+		abuild
+
+}
diff --git a/tests/testrepo/buildfail/APKBUILD b/tests/testrepo/buildfail/APKBUILD
deleted file mode 100644
index d0663a4..0000000
--- a/tests/testrepo/buildfail/APKBUILD
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,30 +0,0 @@
-# Maintainer: Natanael Copa <ncopa@alpinelinux.org>
-
-# test package
-pkgname="buildfail"
-pkgver="1.0"
-pkgrel=0
-pkgdesc="Dummy test package that fails to build"
-url="https://gitlab.alpinelinux.org/alpine/aports"
-arch="noarch"
-license="MIT"
-subpackages="$pkgname-dev $pkgname-doc"
-source=""
-
-prepare() {
-	mkdir -p "$builddir"
-}
-
-build() {
-	false
-}
-
-check() {
-	true
-}
-
-package() {
-	mkdir -p "$pkgdir"
-	cp -r * "$pkgdir"/
-}
-