diff --git a/bin/doom b/bin/doom
index 3e25a819d..3a1fc43f5 100755
--- a/bin/doom
+++ b/bin/doom
@@ -103,4 +103,5 @@
                          "report, please include it!\n\n"
                          "Emacs outputs to standard error, so you'll need to redirect stderr to\n"
                          "stdout to pipe this to a file or clipboard!\n\n"
-                         "  e.g. doom -d install 2>&1 | clipboard-program")))))))))
+                         "  e.g. doom -d install 2>&1 | clipboard-program"))
+                         (signal 'doom-error e))))))))
diff --git a/core/cli/byte-compile.el b/core/cli/byte-compile.el
index c14e3a7c6..fcd46e9d3 100644
--- a/core/cli/byte-compile.el
+++ b/core/cli/byte-compile.el
@@ -151,7 +151,9 @@ If RECOMPILE-P is non-nil, only recompile out-of-date files."
                                    "%s %d/%d file(s) (%d ignored)"))
                       (if recompile-p "Recompiled" "Compiled")
                       total-ok (- (length target-files) total-noop)
-                      total-noop))
+                      total-noop)
+              (or (= total-fail 0)
+               (error "Failed  to compile some files")))
           ((debug error)
            (print! (red "\nThere were breaking errors.\n\n%s")
                    "Reverting changes...")