diff --git a/lib/pure/unittest.nim b/lib/pure/unittest.nim
index 135a24e9a866..568943ecb89c 100644
--- a/lib/pure/unittest.nim
+++ b/lib/pure/unittest.nim
@@ -145,6 +145,8 @@ type
     testStartTime: float
     testStackTrace: string
 
+const EXIT_ERROR = 1
+
 var
   abortOnError* {.threadvar.}: bool ## Set to true in order to quit
                                     ## immediately on fail. Default is false,
@@ -499,7 +501,7 @@ template test*(name, body) {.dirty.} =
 
     finally:
       if testStatusIMPL == FAILED:
-        programResult += 1
+        programResult = EXIT_ERROR
       let testResult = TestResult(
         suiteName: when declared(testSuiteName): testSuiteName else: "",
         testName: name,
@@ -540,7 +542,7 @@ template fail* =
   when declared(testStatusIMPL):
     testStatusIMPL = FAILED
   else:
-    programResult += 1
+    programResult = EXIT_ERROR
 
   ensureInitialized()