diff --git a/tests/ECMPoQmToolsTest/check.cmake.in b/tests/ECMPoQmToolsTest/check.cmake.in
--- a/tests/ECMPoQmToolsTest/check.cmake.in
+++ b/tests/ECMPoQmToolsTest/check.cmake.in
@@ -76,7 +76,7 @@
             string(STRIP "${output}" stripped_output)
             if(NOT stripped_output STREQUAL exp_output_${catalog_name}_${lang})
                 message(WARNING "${name}[${lang}] output was \"${stripped_output}\", but expected \"${exp_output_${catalog_name}_${lang}}\"")
-                set(fail ON)
+                set(fail ON PARENT_SCOPE)
             else()
                 message(STATUS "${name}[${lang}] output was \"${stripped_output}\", as expected")
             endif()