diff --git a/v2/test/BoostBuild.py b/v2/test/BoostBuild.py
index 49db78476..9f7705cb6 100644
--- a/v2/test/BoostBuild.py
+++ b/v2/test/BoostBuild.py
@@ -131,8 +131,6 @@ if os.name == 'posix':
     def _failed(self, status=0):
         if self.status is None:
             return None
-        if os.WIFSIGNALED(status):
-            return None
         return _status(self) != status
     def _status(self):
         if os.WIFEXITED(self.status):
@@ -458,8 +456,8 @@ class Tester(TestCmd.TestCmd):
 
             annotation("failure", '"%s" returned %d%s'
                 % (kw['program'], _status(self), expect))
-
-            annotation("reason", "error returned by bjam")
+            
+            annotation("reason", "unexpected status returned by bjam")
             self.fail_test(1)
 
         if not (stdout is None) and not match(self.stdout(), stdout):
diff --git a/v2/test/exit_status.py b/v2/test/exit_status.py
new file mode 100755
index 000000000..11c4abf76
--- /dev/null
+++ b/v2/test/exit_status.py
@@ -0,0 +1,26 @@
+#!/usr/bin/python
+
+# Copyright (C) Vladimir Prus 2010.
+# Distributed under the Boost Software License, Version 1.0. (See
+# accompanying file LICENSE_1_0.txt or copy at
+# http://www.boost.org/LICENSE_1_0.txt)
+
+# Test that build failure results in non-zero exit status
+
+import BoostBuild
+
+# Create a temporary working directory.
+t = BoostBuild.Tester()
+
+# Create the needed files.
+t.write("jamroot.jam", """
+exe hello : hello.cpp ;
+""")
+
+t.write("hello.cpp", """
+int main() {
+""")
+
+t.run_build_system(status=1)
+
+t.cleanup()
diff --git a/v2/test/gcc_runtime.py b/v2/test/gcc_runtime.py
index a7e57550f..696b6a5fd 100644
--- a/v2/test/gcc_runtime.py
+++ b/v2/test/gcc_runtime.py
@@ -23,7 +23,7 @@ t.write("hello.cpp", """
 int main() { }
 """)
 
-t.run_build_system("runtime-link=static", status=1)
+t.run_build_system("runtime-link=static")
 t.fail_test(string.find(t.stdout(),
     "On gcc, DLL can't be build with '<runtime-link>static'") == -1)
 
diff --git a/v2/test/test_all.py b/v2/test/test_all.py
index 038c2928a..fad67fab6 100644
--- a/v2/test/test_all.py
+++ b/v2/test/test_all.py
@@ -201,7 +201,8 @@ tests = [ "absolute_sources",
           "use_requirements",
           "using",
           "wrapper",
-          "wrong_project"
+          "wrong_project",
+          "exit_status",
           ]
 
 if os.name == 'posix':