diff --git a/test/components/zotero-unit.js b/test/components/zotero-unit.js
index a1d3cc685..c9b324f6a 100644
--- a/test/components/zotero-unit.js
+++ b/test/components/zotero-unit.js
@@ -33,6 +33,7 @@ ZoteroUnit.prototype = {
 	handle:function(cmdLine) {
 		this.tests = cmdLine.handleFlagWithParam("test", false);
 		this.noquit = cmdLine.handleFlag("noquit", false);
+		this.bail = cmdLine.handleFlag("bail", false);
 	},
 
 	dump:function(x) {
diff --git a/test/content/runtests.js b/test/content/runtests.js
index 2b71c50b0..54ae50352 100644
--- a/test/content/runtests.js
+++ b/test/content/runtests.js
@@ -22,7 +22,7 @@ function quit(failed) {
 }
 
 function Reporter(runner) {
-	var indents = 0, passed = 0, failed = 0;
+	var indents = 0, passed = 0, failed = 0, aborted = false;
 
 	function indent() {
 		return Array(indents).join('  ');
@@ -61,10 +61,16 @@ function Reporter(runner) {
 			+ " " + test.title + "\n"
 			+ indent() + "  " + err.toString() + " at\n"
 			+ indent() + "    " + err.stack.replace("\n", "\n" + indent() + "    ", "g"));
+		
+		if (ZoteroUnit.bail) {
+			aborted = true;
+			runner.abort();
+		}
 	});
 
 	runner.on('end', function() {
-		dump(passed+"/"+(passed+failed)+" tests passed.\n");
+		dump(passed + "/" + (passed + failed) + " tests passed"
+			+ (aborted ? " -- aborting" : "") + "\n");
 		quit(failed != 0);
 	});
 }
diff --git a/test/runtests.sh b/test/runtests.sh
index c856a825f..12841d818 100755
--- a/test/runtests.sh
+++ b/test/runtests.sh
@@ -29,13 +29,14 @@ Options
  -x FX_EXECUTABLE    path to Firefox executable (default: $FX_EXECUTABLE)
  -d                  enable debug logging
  -c                  open JavaScript console and don't quit on completion
+ -f                  stop after first test failure
  -b                  skip bundled translator/style installation
  TESTS               set of tests to run (default: all)
 DONE
 	exit 1
 }
 
-while getopts "x:dcb" opt; do
+while getopts "x:dcfb" opt; do
 	case $opt in
 		x)
 			FX_EXECUTABLE="$OPTARG"
@@ -46,6 +47,9 @@ while getopts "x:dcb" opt; do
         c)
             FX_ARGS="-jsconsole -noquit"
             ;;
+		f)
+			STOP_ON_FAILURE=true
+			;;
         b)
         	SKIP_BUNDLED=true
         	;;
@@ -101,6 +105,10 @@ if [ "$SKIP_BUNDLED" = true ]; then
 	FX_ARGS="$FX_ARGS -ZoteroSkipBundledFiles"
 fi
 
+if [ "$STOP_ON_FAILURE" = true ]; then
+	FX_ARGS="$FX_ARGS -bail"
+fi
+
 # Clean up on exit
 trap "{ rm -rf \"$PROFILE\"; }" EXIT