diff --git a/tests/synclines.at b/tests/synclines.at
index c575c3f8..1a7d4483 100644
--- a/tests/synclines.at
+++ b/tests/synclines.at
@@ -24,7 +24,7 @@ AT_BANNER([[User Actions.]])
 # Compile FILE expecting an error, and save in the file stdout the normalized
 # output.
 m4_define([AT_SYNCLINES_COMPILE],
-[AT_CHECK([$CC $CFLAGS $CPPFLAGS $1 -c], 1, [], [stderr])
+[AT_CHECK([$CC $CFLAGS $CPPFLAGS -c $1 || (exit 1)], 1, [], [stderr])
 # In case GCC displays column information, strip it down.
 #
 #   input.y:4:2: #error "4"    or input.y:4.2: #error "4"