diff --git a/test/plugin.jelly b/test/plugin.jelly
index 1bad3d7c..7f0d1600 100644
--- a/test/plugin.jelly
+++ b/test/plugin.jelly
@@ -127,9 +127,14 @@
         name="junit"
         classname="org.apache.tools.ant.taskdefs.optional.junit.JUnitTask"
       />
-      
+
+      <j:set var="_haltonfailure" value="no"/>
+      <j:if test="${context.getVariable('maven.test.failure.ignore') != 'true'}">
+        <j:set var="_haltonfailure" value="yes"/>
+      </j:if>
+
       <junit printSummary="${maven.junit.printSummary}" 
-             failureProperty="maven.test.failure"
+             haltonfailure="${_haltonfailure}"
              fork="${maven.junit.fork}"
              forkmode="${maven.junit.forkmode}">
 
@@ -178,12 +183,6 @@
         </batchtest>
       </junit>
 
-      <j:if test="${maven.test.failure}">
-        <j:if test="${context.getVariable('maven.test.failure.ignore') != 'true'}">
-          <fail message="There were test failures."/>
-        </j:if>
-      </j:if>
-
     </j:if>
     
     <j:if test="${!unitTestSourcesPresent}">
@@ -247,8 +246,13 @@
             classname="org.apache.tools.ant.taskdefs.optional.junit.JUnitTask"
           />
 
+          <j:set var="_haltonfailure" value="no"/>
+          <j:if test="${context.getVariable('maven.test.failure.ignore') != 'true'}">
+            <j:set var="_haltonfailure" value="yes"/>
+          </j:if>
+
           <junit printSummary="${maven.junit.printSummary}"
-                 failureProperty="maven.test.failure"
+                 haltonfailure="${_haltonfailure}"
                  fork="${maven.junit.fork}"
                  dir="${maven.junit.dir}"
                  forkmode="${maven.junit.forkmode}">
@@ -287,12 +291,6 @@
 
           </junit>
 
-          <j:if test="${maven.test.failure}">
-            <j:if test="${context.getVariable('maven.test.failure.ignore') != 'true'}">
-              <fail message="There were test failures."/>
-            </j:if>
-          </j:if>
-
         </j:otherwise>
       </j:choose>
     </j:if>
@@ -332,8 +330,13 @@
 
           <echo>Searching directory ${maven.test.searchdir}</echo>
 
+         <j:set var="_haltonfailure" value="no"/>
+         <j:if test="${context.getVariable('maven.test.failure.ignore') != 'true'}">
+           <j:set var="_haltonfailure" value="yes"/>
+         </j:if>
+
           <junit printSummary="${maven.junit.printSummary}"
-                 failureProperty="maven.test.failure"
+                 haltonfailure="${_haltonfailure}"
                  fork="${maven.junit.fork}"
                  dir="${maven.junit.dir}"
                  forkmode="${maven.junit.forkmode}">
@@ -390,11 +393,6 @@
 
           </junit>
 
-          <j:if test="${maven.test.failure}">
-            <j:if test="${context.getVariable('maven.test.failure.ignore') != 'true'}">
-              <fail message="There were test failures."/>
-            </j:if>
-          </j:if>
         </j:otherwise>
       </j:choose>
     </j:if>
diff --git a/test/xdocs/changes.xml b/test/xdocs/changes.xml
index 47ecef05..52398cbe 100644
--- a/test/xdocs/changes.xml
+++ b/test/xdocs/changes.xml
@@ -24,6 +24,7 @@
   </properties>
   <body>
     <release version="1.8-SNAPSHOT" date="in SVN">
+      <action dev="ltheussl" type="fix" issue="MPTEST-39">Test failure doesn't halt execution of test suite.</action>
       <action dev="aheritier" type="update" issue="MAVEN-1712">Update dependencies to match ones in maven 1.1 core and to unify them between plugins. The following dependencies are updated : 
         <ul>
           <li>xercesImpl v 2.4.0 -> v2.6.2</li>
