diff --git a/tests/test-bisect b/tests/test-bisect
--- a/tests/test-bisect
+++ b/tests/test-bisect
@@ -71,4 +71,4 @@ hg bisect -s
 
 echo % test no action
 hg bisect -r
-hg bisect
+hg bisect || echo failure
diff --git a/tests/test-bisect.out b/tests/test-bisect.out
--- a/tests/test-bisect.out
+++ b/tests/test-bisect.out
@@ -285,3 +285,4 @@ summary:     msg 2
 
 % test no action
 abort: cannot bisect (no known good revisions)
+failure