diff --git a/tests/dtc-checkfails.sh b/tests/dtc-checkfails.sh
index cca4119..16a93e8 100755
--- a/tests/dtc-checkfails.sh
+++ b/tests/dtc-checkfails.sh
@@ -17,6 +17,10 @@ rm -f $TMPFILE $LOG
 verbose_run_log "$LOG" "$DTC" -o /dev/null "$@"
 ret="$?"
 
+if [ "$ret" -gt 127 ]; then
+    FAIL "dtc killed by signal (ret=$ret)"
+fi
+
 for c in $CHECKS; do
     if ! grep -E "^(ERROR)|(Warning) \($c\):" $LOG > /dev/null; then
 	FAIL "Failed to trigger check \"%c\""