diff --git a/libexec/bats-exec-test b/libexec/bats-exec-test
index 4ec78ea..225cdd8 100755
--- a/libexec/bats-exec-test
+++ b/libexec/bats-exec-test
@@ -148,13 +148,19 @@ bats_print_stack_trace() {
 
 bats_print_failed_command() {
   local frame="$1"
+  local status="$2"
   local filename="$(bats_frame_filename "$frame")"
   local lineno="$(bats_frame_lineno "$frame")"
 
   local failed_line="$(bats_extract_line "$filename" "$lineno")"
   local failed_command="$(bats_strip_string "$failed_line")"
+  echo -n "#   \`${failed_command}' "
 
-  echo "#   \`${failed_command}' failed"
+  if [ $status -eq 1 ]; then
+    echo "failed"
+  else
+    echo "failed with status $status"
+  fi
 }
 
 bats_frame_lineno() {
@@ -200,17 +206,23 @@ bats_debug_trap() {
 }
 
 bats_error_trap() {
+  BATS_ERROR_STATUS="$?"
   BATS_ERROR_STACK_TRACE=( "${BATS_PREVIOUS_STACK_TRACE[@]}" )
   trap - debug
 }
 
 bats_teardown_trap() {
   trap "bats_exit_trap" exit
-  if teardown >>"$BATS_OUT" 2>&1; then
+  local status=0
+  teardown >>"$BATS_OUT" 2>&1 || status="$?"
+
+  if [ $status -eq 0 ]; then
     BATS_TEARDOWN_COMPLETED=1
   elif [ -n "$BATS_TEST_COMPLETED" ]; then
+    BATS_ERROR_STATUS="$status"
     BATS_ERROR_STACK_TRACE=( "${BATS_CURRENT_STACK_TRACE[@]}" )
   fi
+
   bats_exit_trap
 }
 
@@ -230,7 +242,7 @@ bats_exit_trap() {
   if [ -z "$BATS_TEST_COMPLETED" ] || [ -z "$BATS_TEARDOWN_COMPLETED" ]; then
     echo "not ok $BATS_TEST_NUMBER $BATS_TEST_DESCRIPTION" >&3
     bats_print_stack_trace "${BATS_ERROR_STACK_TRACE[@]}" >&3
-    bats_print_failed_command "${BATS_ERROR_STACK_TRACE[@]}" >&3
+    bats_print_failed_command "${BATS_ERROR_STACK_TRACE[0]}" "$BATS_ERROR_STATUS" >&3
     sed -e "s/^/# /" < "$BATS_OUT" >&3
     status=1
   else
diff --git a/test/bats.bats b/test/bats.bats
index 3603ee6..f867922 100755
--- a/test/bats.bats
+++ b/test/bats.bats
@@ -46,7 +46,7 @@ fixtures bats
   [ "${lines[0]}" = '1..1' ]
   [ "${lines[1]}" = 'not ok 1 a failing test' ]
   [ "${lines[2]}" = "# (in test file $FIXTURE_ROOT/failing.bats, line 4)" ]
-  [ "${lines[3]}" = "#   \`false' failed" ]
+  [ "${lines[3]}" = "#   \`eval \"( exit \${STATUS:-1} )\"' failed" ]
 }
 
 @test "one failing and one passing test" {
@@ -59,6 +59,12 @@ fixtures bats
   [ "${lines[4]}" = 'ok 2 a passing test' ]
 }
 
+@test "failing test with significant status" {
+  STATUS=2 run bats "$FIXTURE_ROOT/failing.bats"
+  [ $status -eq 1 ]
+  [ "${lines[3]}" = "#   \`eval \"( exit \${STATUS:-1} )\"' failed with status 2" ]
+}
+
 @test "failing helper function logs the test case's line number" {
   run bats "$FIXTURE_ROOT/failing_helper.bats"
   [ $status -eq 1 ]
@@ -102,7 +108,7 @@ fixtures bats
   [ $status -eq 1 ]
   [ "${lines[1]}" = 'not ok 1 truth' ]
   [ "${lines[2]}" = "# (from function \`teardown' in test file $FIXTURE_ROOT/failing_teardown.bats, line 2)" ]
-  [ "${lines[3]}" = "#   \`false' failed" ]
+  [ "${lines[3]}" = "#   \`eval \"( exit \${STATUS:-1} )\"' failed" ]
 }
 
 @test "failing test with teardown failure" {
@@ -113,6 +119,12 @@ fixtures bats
   [ "${lines[3]}" = $'#   `[ "$PASS" = "1" ]\' failed' ]
 }
 
+@test "teardown failure with significant status" {
+  PASS=1 STATUS=2 run bats "$FIXTURE_ROOT/failing_teardown.bats"
+  [ $status -eq 1 ]
+  [ "${lines[3]}" = "#   \`eval \"( exit \${STATUS:-1} )\"' failed with status 2" ]
+}
+
 @test "load sources scripts relative to the current test file" {
   run bats "$FIXTURE_ROOT/load.bats"
   [ $status -eq 0 ]
diff --git a/test/fixtures/bats/failing.bats b/test/fixtures/bats/failing.bats
index 518b490..13be78c 100644
--- a/test/fixtures/bats/failing.bats
+++ b/test/fixtures/bats/failing.bats
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 @test "a failing test" {
   true
   true
-  false
+  eval "( exit ${STATUS:-1} )"
 }
diff --git a/test/fixtures/bats/failing_teardown.bats b/test/fixtures/bats/failing_teardown.bats
index 0b59e26..28eebf6 100644
--- a/test/fixtures/bats/failing_teardown.bats
+++ b/test/fixtures/bats/failing_teardown.bats
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 teardown() {
-  false
+  eval "( exit ${STATUS:-1} )"
 }
 
 @test "truth" {