diff --git a/pkgs/racket-test/tests/setup/parallel-build.rkt b/pkgs/racket-test/tests/setup/parallel-build.rkt
index b78ac4b6d8..5180429d59 100644
--- a/pkgs/racket-test/tests/setup/parallel-build.rkt
+++ b/pkgs/racket-test/tests/setup/parallel-build.rkt
@@ -1,8 +1,13 @@
 #lang racket/base
 (require
+  racket/file
   rackunit
   setup/parallel-build)
 
 (check-exn exn:fail:contract? (λ () (parallel-compile ".")))
 (check-exn exn:fail:contract? (λ () (parallel-compile-files (list) #:worker-count 2.5)))
 (check-exn exn:fail:contract? (λ () (parallel-compile-files (list) #:handler 5)))
+
+(define temporary-directory (make-temporary-file "parallel-build~a" 'directory))
+(check-false (parallel-compile-files (list temporary-directory)))
+(delete-directory/files temporary-directory)
diff --git a/racket/collects/setup/parallel-build.rkt b/racket/collects/setup/parallel-build.rkt
index 6bc3dd2fd2..431f656fe4 100644
--- a/racket/collects/setup/parallel-build.rkt
+++ b/racket/collects/setup/parallel-build.rkt
@@ -223,9 +223,10 @@
           (match result-type
             [(list 'LOCK fn) (lm/lock lock-mgr fn wrkr) #f]
             [(list 'UNLOCK fn) (lm/unlock lock-mgr fn) #f]
-            [(list 'ERROR msg) (handler id 'error work msg out err) 
-                               (set! results #f)
-                               #t]
+            [(list 'ERROR long-msg short-msg)
+             (handler id 'error work long-msg out err)
+             (set! results #f)
+             #t]
             [(list 'LOG level msg data)
              (when (log-level? pb-logger level)
                (log-message pb-logger level msg (parallel-compile-event id data)))