diff --git a/lib/test-driver/test-driver.pl b/lib/test-driver/test-driver.pl
index 0162832db87..9f5054f7721 100644
--- a/lib/test-driver/test-driver.pl
+++ b/lib/test-driver/test-driver.pl
@@ -66,7 +66,10 @@ sub runTests {
     if (defined $ENV{tests}) {
         $log->nest("running the VM test script", sub {
             eval "$context $ENV{tests}";
-            die $@ if $@;
+            if ($@) {
+                $log->log("error: $@", { error => 1 });
+                die $@;
+            }
         }, { expanded => 1 });
     } else {
         my $term = Term::ReadLine->new('nixos-vm-test');