diff --git a/doc/api/cli.md b/doc/api/cli.md
index f590ebd0c89deb..88b4d5a9827f0a 100644
--- a/doc/api/cli.md
+++ b/doc/api/cli.md
@@ -1507,6 +1507,18 @@ Starts the Node.js command line test runner. This flag cannot be combined with
 See the documentation on [running tests from the command line][]
 for more details.
 
+### `--test-bail`
+
+<!-- YAML
+added:
+  - REPLACEME
+-->
+
+> Stability: 1 - Experimental
+
+Instructs the test runner to bail out if a test failure occurs.
+See the documentation on [test bailout][] for more details.
+
 ### `--test-name-pattern`
 
 <!-- YAML
@@ -2711,6 +2723,7 @@ done
 [security warning]: #warning-binding-inspector-to-a-public-ipport-combination-is-insecure
 [semi-space]: https://www.memorymanagement.org/glossary/s.html#semi.space
 [single executable application]: single-executable-applications.md
+[test bailout]: test.md#bailing-out
 [test reporters]: test.md#test-reporters
 [timezone IDs]: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_tz_database_time_zones
 [tracking issue for user-land snapshots]: https://github.com/nodejs/node/issues/44014
diff --git a/doc/api/test.md b/doc/api/test.md
index 5b694a4dc74668..6aa74fce1a5cdf 100644
--- a/doc/api/test.md
+++ b/doc/api/test.md
@@ -602,6 +602,22 @@ test('mocks setTimeout to be executed synchronously without having to actually w
 });
 ```
 
+## Bailing out
+
+<!-- YAML
+added:
+  - REPLACEME
+-->
+
+> Stability: 1 - Experimental
+
+The `--test-bail` flag provides a way to stop the test execution
+as soon as a test fails.
+By enabling this flag, the test runner will exit the test suite early
+when it encounters the first failing test, preventing
+the execution of subsequent tests.
+**Default:** `false`.
+
 ## Test reporters
 
 <!-- YAML
@@ -870,6 +886,11 @@ changes:
 
 * `options` {Object} Configuration options for running tests. The following
   properties are supported:
+  * `bail` {boolean}
+    If `true`, it will exit the test suite early
+    when it encounters the first failing test, preventing
+    the execution of subsequent tests.
+    **Default:** `false`.
   * `concurrency` {number|boolean} If a number is provided,
     then that many test processes would run in parallel, where each process
     corresponds to one test file.
diff --git a/doc/node.1 b/doc/node.1
index d7095e90fdf4d6..e54f476b6a2bf7 100644
--- a/doc/node.1
+++ b/doc/node.1
@@ -410,6 +410,9 @@ Specify the minimum allocation from the OpenSSL secure heap. The default is 2. T
 .It Fl -test
 Starts the Node.js command line test runner.
 .
+.It Fl -test-bail
+Instructs the test runner to bail out if a test failure occurs.
+.
 .It Fl -test-name-pattern
 A regular expression that configures the test runner to only execute tests
 whose name matches the provided pattern.
diff --git a/lib/internal/main/test_runner.js b/lib/internal/main/test_runner.js
index 4974f4ce0d338b..f86e68e19b8f74 100644
--- a/lib/internal/main/test_runner.js
+++ b/lib/internal/main/test_runner.js
@@ -57,7 +57,12 @@ if (shardOption) {
   };
 }
 
-run({ concurrency, inspectPort, watch: getOptionValue('--watch'), setup: setupTestReporters, shard })
+run({ concurrency,
+      inspectPort,
+      watch: getOptionValue('--watch'),
+      setup: setupTestReporters,
+      shard,
+      bail: getOptionValue('--test-bail') })
 .on('test:fail', (data) => {
   if (data.todo === undefined || data.todo === false) {
     process.exitCode = kGenericUserError;
diff --git a/lib/internal/test_runner/reporter/tap.js b/lib/internal/test_runner/reporter/tap.js
index 1f60cfa619886e..915362b411b4e5 100644
--- a/lib/internal/test_runner/reporter/tap.js
+++ b/lib/internal/test_runner/reporter/tap.js
@@ -14,6 +14,7 @@ const {
 const { inspectWithNoCustomRetry } = require('internal/errors');
 const { isError, kEmptyObject } = require('internal/util');
 const { getCoverageReport } = require('internal/test_runner/utils');
+const { kBailedOut } = require('internal/test_runner/test');
 const kDefaultIndent = '    '; // 4 spaces
 const kFrameStartRegExp = /^ {4}at /;
 const kLineBreakRegExp = /\n|\r\n/;
@@ -32,6 +33,8 @@ async function * tapReporter(source) {
   for await (const { type, data } of source) {
     switch (type) {
       case 'test:fail': {
+        // If test bailed out do not report
+        if (data.details?.error?.failureType === kBailedOut) break;
         yield reportTest(data.nesting, data.testNumber, 'not ok', data.name, data.skip, data.todo);
         const location = `${data.file}:${data.line}:${data.column}`;
         yield reportDetails(data.nesting, data.details, location);
diff --git a/lib/internal/test_runner/runner.js b/lib/internal/test_runner/runner.js
index 51d01114696030..7974971af65ab4 100644
--- a/lib/internal/test_runner/runner.js
+++ b/lib/internal/test_runner/runner.js
@@ -110,7 +110,7 @@ function filterExecArgv(arg, i, arr) {
   !ArrayPrototypeSome(kFilterArgValues, (p) => arg === p || (i > 0 && arr[i - 1] === p) || StringPrototypeStartsWith(arg, `${p}=`));
 }
 
-function getRunArgs({ path, inspectPort, testNamePatterns }) {
+function getRunArgs({ path, inspectPort, testNamePatterns, bail }) {
   const argv = ArrayPrototypeFilter(process.execArgv, filterExecArgv);
   if (isUsingInspector()) {
     ArrayPrototypePush(argv, `--inspect-port=${getInspectPort(inspectPort)}`);
@@ -118,6 +118,9 @@ function getRunArgs({ path, inspectPort, testNamePatterns }) {
   if (testNamePatterns) {
     ArrayPrototypeForEach(testNamePatterns, (pattern) => ArrayPrototypePush(argv, `--test-name-pattern=${pattern}`));
   }
+  if (bail) {
+    ArrayPrototypePush(argv, '--test-bail');
+  }
   ArrayPrototypePush(argv, path);
 
   return argv;
@@ -301,10 +304,10 @@ class FileTest extends Test {
   }
 }
 
-function runTestFile(path, root, inspectPort, filesWatcher, testNamePatterns) {
+function runTestFile(path, root, inspectPort, filesWatcher, testNamePatterns, bail) {
   const watchMode = filesWatcher != null;
   const subtest = root.createSubtest(FileTest, path, async (t) => {
-    const args = getRunArgs({ __proto__: null, path, inspectPort, testNamePatterns });
+    const args = getRunArgs({ __proto__: null, path, inspectPort, testNamePatterns, bail });
     const stdio = ['pipe', 'pipe', 'pipe'];
     const env = { __proto__: null, ...process.env, NODE_TEST_CONTEXT: 'child-v8' };
     if (watchMode) {
@@ -381,7 +384,7 @@ function runTestFile(path, root, inspectPort, filesWatcher, testNamePatterns) {
   return subtest.start();
 }
 
-function watchFiles(testFiles, root, inspectPort, signal, testNamePatterns) {
+function watchFiles(testFiles, root, inspectPort, signal, testNamePatterns, bail) {
   const runningProcesses = new SafeMap();
   const runningSubtests = new SafeMap();
   const watcher = new FilesWatcher({ __proto__: null, debounce: 200, mode: 'filter', signal });
@@ -403,7 +406,7 @@ function watchFiles(testFiles, root, inspectPort, signal, testNamePatterns) {
         root.harness.counters.topLevel = 0;
       }
       await runningSubtests.get(file);
-      runningSubtests.set(file, runTestFile(file, root, inspectPort, filesWatcher, testNamePatterns));
+      runningSubtests.set(file, runTestFile(file, root, inspectPort, filesWatcher, testNamePatterns, bail));
     }, undefined, (error) => {
       triggerUncaughtException(error, true /* fromPromise */);
     }));
@@ -425,7 +428,7 @@ function run(options) {
     options = kEmptyObject;
   }
   let { testNamePatterns, shard } = options;
-  const { concurrency, timeout, signal, files, inspectPort, watch, setup } = options;
+  const { concurrency, timeout, signal, files, inspectPort, watch, setup, bail } = options;
 
   if (files != null) {
     validateArray(files, 'options.files');
@@ -433,6 +436,9 @@ function run(options) {
   if (watch != null) {
     validateBoolean(watch, 'options.watch');
   }
+  if (bail != null) {
+    validateBoolean(bail, 'options.bail');
+  }
   if (shard != null) {
     validateObject(shard, 'options.shard');
     // Avoid re-evaluating the shard object in case it's a getter
@@ -479,13 +485,13 @@ function run(options) {
   let postRun = () => root.postRun();
   let filesWatcher;
   if (watch) {
-    filesWatcher = watchFiles(testFiles, root, inspectPort, signal, testNamePatterns);
+    filesWatcher = watchFiles(testFiles, root, inspectPort, signal, testNamePatterns, bail);
     postRun = undefined;
   }
   const runFiles = () => {
     root.harness.bootstrapComplete = true;
     return SafePromiseAllSettledReturnVoid(testFiles, (path) => {
-      const subtest = runTestFile(path, root, inspectPort, filesWatcher, testNamePatterns);
+      const subtest = runTestFile(path, root, inspectPort, filesWatcher, testNamePatterns, bail);
       filesWatcher?.runningSubtests.set(path, subtest);
       return subtest;
     });
diff --git a/lib/internal/test_runner/test.js b/lib/internal/test_runner/test.js
index 975ad4ac08b41f..99dffe1a801ad5 100644
--- a/lib/internal/test_runner/test.js
+++ b/lib/internal/test_runner/test.js
@@ -66,6 +66,7 @@ const kParentAlreadyFinished = 'parentAlreadyFinished';
 const kSubtestsFailed = 'subtestsFailed';
 const kTestCodeFailure = 'testCodeFailure';
 const kTestTimeoutFailure = 'testTimeoutFailure';
+const kBailedOut = 'testBailedOut';
 const kHookFailure = 'hookFailed';
 const kDefaultTimeout = null;
 const noop = FunctionPrototype;
@@ -75,7 +76,7 @@ const kHookNames = ObjectSeal(['before', 'after', 'beforeEach', 'afterEach']);
 const kUnwrapErrors = new SafeSet()
   .add(kTestCodeFailure).add(kHookFailure)
   .add('uncaughtException').add('unhandledRejection');
-const { testNamePatterns, testOnlyFlag } = parseCommandLine();
+const { testNamePatterns, testOnlyFlag, bail } = parseCommandLine();
 let kResistStopPropagation;
 
 function stopTest(timeout, signal) {
@@ -204,6 +205,7 @@ class Test extends AsyncResource {
   abortController;
   outerSignal;
   #reportedSubtest;
+  bailedOut;
 
   constructor(options) {
     super('Test');
@@ -469,13 +471,14 @@ class Test extends AsyncResource {
     if (this.endTime !== null) {
       return;
     }
-
-    this.fail(error ||
-      new ERR_TEST_FAILURE(
-        'test did not finish before its parent and was cancelled',
-        kCancelledByParent,
-      ),
+    const cancelledError = this.root.bailedOut ? new ERR_TEST_FAILURE(
+      'test bailed out',
+      kBailedOut,
+    ) : new ERR_TEST_FAILURE(
+      'test did not finish before its parent and was cancelled',
+      kCancelledByParent,
     );
+    this.fail(error || cancelledError);
     this.startTime = this.startTime || this.endTime; // If a test was canceled before it was started, e.g inside a hook
     this.cancelled = true;
     this.abortController.abort();
@@ -500,6 +503,11 @@ class Test extends AsyncResource {
     this.endTime = hrtime();
     this.passed = false;
     this.error = err;
+    if (bail && !this.root.bailedOut) {
+      this.bailedOut = true;
+      this.root.bailedOut = true;
+      this.root.postRun();
+    }
   }
 
   pass() {
@@ -811,7 +819,7 @@ class Test extends AsyncResource {
 
     if (this.passed) {
       this.reporter.ok(this.nesting, this.loc, this.testNumber, this.name, details, directive);
-    } else {
+    } else if (this.error.failureType !== kBailedOut) {
       details.error = this.error;
       this.reporter.fail(this.nesting, this.loc, this.testNumber, this.name, details, directive);
     }
@@ -822,7 +830,7 @@ class Test extends AsyncResource {
   }
 
   reportStarted() {
-    if (this.#reportedSubtest || this.parent === null) {
+    if (this.#reportedSubtest || this.parent === null || this.root.bailedOut) {
       return;
     }
     this.#reportedSubtest = true;
@@ -968,6 +976,7 @@ module.exports = {
   kSubtestsFailed,
   kTestCodeFailure,
   kTestTimeoutFailure,
+  kBailedOut,
   kAborted,
   kUnwrapErrors,
   Suite,
diff --git a/lib/internal/test_runner/utils.js b/lib/internal/test_runner/utils.js
index fba2c3132339aa..fb8c64d7b1f4d5 100644
--- a/lib/internal/test_runner/utils.js
+++ b/lib/internal/test_runner/utils.js
@@ -179,6 +179,7 @@ function parseCommandLine() {
   }
 
   const isTestRunner = getOptionValue('--test');
+  const bail = getOptionValue('--test-bail');
   const coverage = getOptionValue('--experimental-test-coverage');
   const isChildProcess = process.env.NODE_TEST_CONTEXT === 'child';
   const isChildProcessV8 = process.env.NODE_TEST_CONTEXT === 'child-v8';
@@ -230,6 +231,7 @@ function parseCommandLine() {
   globalTestOptions = {
     __proto__: null,
     isTestRunner,
+    bail,
     coverage,
     testOnlyFlag,
     testNamePatterns,
diff --git a/src/node_options.cc b/src/node_options.cc
index 6ea85e3399be69..80933b4ee60ee7 100644
--- a/src/node_options.cc
+++ b/src/node_options.cc
@@ -606,6 +606,9 @@ EnvironmentOptionsParser::EnvironmentOptionsParser() {
             "run test at specific shard",
             &EnvironmentOptions::test_shard,
             kAllowedInEnvvar);
+  AddOption("--test-bail",
+            "stop test runner execution on the first test failure",
+            &EnvironmentOptions::test_bail);
   AddOption("--test-udp-no-try-send", "",  // For testing only.
             &EnvironmentOptions::test_udp_no_try_send);
   AddOption("--throw-deprecation",
diff --git a/src/node_options.h b/src/node_options.h
index bc18a45e681a3c..643762063da81d 100644
--- a/src/node_options.h
+++ b/src/node_options.h
@@ -161,6 +161,7 @@ class EnvironmentOptions : public Options {
   std::string env_file;
   bool has_env_file_string = false;
   bool test_runner = false;
+  bool test_bail = false;
   bool test_runner_coverage = false;
   std::vector<std::string> test_name_pattern;
   std::vector<std::string> test_reporter;
diff --git a/test/fixtures/test-runner/bail/bail.js b/test/fixtures/test-runner/bail/bail.js
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000000..9e4ad8f887a0d8
--- /dev/null
+++ b/test/fixtures/test-runner/bail/bail.js
@@ -0,0 +1,18 @@
+'use strict';
+const common = require('../../../common');
+const test = require('node:test');
+
+test('nested', (t) => {
+  t.test('first', () => {});
+  t.test('second', () => {
+    throw new Error();
+  });
+  t.test('third', common.mustNotCall(() => {}));
+});
+
+test('top level', (t) => {
+  t.test('forth', () => {});
+  t.test('fifth', () => {
+    throw new Error();
+  });
+});
diff --git a/test/fixtures/test-runner/bail/error.js b/test/fixtures/test-runner/bail/error.js
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000000..1dddbee1e38ab8
--- /dev/null
+++ b/test/fixtures/test-runner/bail/error.js
@@ -0,0 +1,12 @@
+'use strict';
+const common = require('../../../common');
+const assert = require('assert');
+const test = require('node:test');
+
+test('keep error', (t) => {
+  assert.strictEqual(0, 1);
+});
+
+test('dont show', common.mustNotCall((t) => {
+  assert.strictEqual(0, 2);
+}));
diff --git a/test/fixtures/test-runner/output/bail-error.js b/test/fixtures/test-runner/output/bail-error.js
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000000..b4f785012bf5ba
--- /dev/null
+++ b/test/fixtures/test-runner/output/bail-error.js
@@ -0,0 +1,13 @@
+// Flags: --test-bail --test-reporter=tap
+'use strict';
+const common = require('../../../common');
+const assert = require('assert');
+const test = require('node:test');
+
+test('keep error', (t) => {
+  assert.strictEqual(0, 1);
+});
+
+test('dont show', common.mustNotCall((t) => {
+  assert.strictEqual(0, 2);
+}));
diff --git a/test/fixtures/test-runner/output/bail-error.snapshot b/test/fixtures/test-runner/output/bail-error.snapshot
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000000..edecd99aebe1bd
--- /dev/null
+++ b/test/fixtures/test-runner/output/bail-error.snapshot
@@ -0,0 +1,32 @@
+TAP version 13
+not ok 1 - keep error
+  ---
+  duration_ms: *
+  location: '/test/fixtures/test-runner/output/bail-error.js:(LINE):1'
+  failureType: 'testCodeFailure'
+  error: |-
+    Expected values to be strictly equal:
+    
+    0 !== 1
+    
+  code: 'ERR_ASSERTION'
+  name: 'AssertionError'
+  expected: 1
+  actual: 0
+  operator: 'strictEqual'
+  stack: |-
+    *
+    *
+    *
+    *
+    *
+  ...
+1..2
+# tests 2
+# suites 0
+# pass 0
+# fail 1
+# cancelled 1
+# skipped 0
+# todo 0
+# duration_ms *
diff --git a/test/fixtures/test-runner/output/bail.js b/test/fixtures/test-runner/output/bail.js
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000000..232e2e7ea15a61
--- /dev/null
+++ b/test/fixtures/test-runner/output/bail.js
@@ -0,0 +1,19 @@
+// Flags: --test-bail --test-reporter=tap
+'use strict';
+const common = require('../../../common');
+const test = require('node:test');
+
+test('nested', (t) => {
+  t.test('first', () => {});
+  t.test('second', () => {
+    throw new Error();
+  });
+  t.test('third', common.mustNotCall(() => {}));
+});
+
+test('top level', (t) => {
+  t.test('forth', () => {});
+  t.test('fifth', () => {
+    throw new Error();
+  });
+});
diff --git a/test/fixtures/test-runner/output/bail.snapshot b/test/fixtures/test-runner/output/bail.snapshot
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000000..6c81fe26a989aa
--- /dev/null
+++ b/test/fixtures/test-runner/output/bail.snapshot
@@ -0,0 +1,33 @@
+TAP version 13
+# Subtest: nested
+    # Subtest: first
+    ok 1 - first
+      ---
+      duration_ms: *
+      ...
+    not ok 2 - second
+      ---
+      duration_ms: *
+      location: '/test/fixtures/test-runner/output/bail.js:(LINE):5'
+      failureType: 'cancelledByParent'
+      error: 'test did not finish before its parent and was cancelled'
+      code: 'ERR_TEST_FAILURE'
+      ...
+    1..3
+not ok 1 - nested
+  ---
+  duration_ms: *
+  location: '/test/fixtures/test-runner/output/bail.js:(LINE):1'
+  failureType: 'subtestsFailed'
+  error: '2 subtests failed'
+  code: 'ERR_TEST_FAILURE'
+  ...
+1..2
+# tests 5
+# suites 0
+# pass 1
+# fail 2
+# cancelled 2
+# skipped 0
+# todo 0
+# duration_ms *
diff --git a/test/parallel/test-runner-bail.js b/test/parallel/test-runner-bail.js
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000000..1fd6ebf48e9a39
--- /dev/null
+++ b/test/parallel/test-runner-bail.js
@@ -0,0 +1,51 @@
+'use strict';
+
+require('../common');
+const fixtures = require('../common/fixtures');
+const tmpdir = require('../common/tmpdir');
+const { describe, it } = require('node:test');
+const { spawnSync } = require('node:child_process');
+const assert = require('node:assert');
+
+const testFile = fixtures.path('test-runner/bail/bail.js');
+const errorTestFile = fixtures.path('test-runner/bail/error.js');
+
+tmpdir.refresh();
+
+describe('maintain errors', () => {
+  it('should exit on first failure', () => {
+    const child = spawnSync(process.execPath, ['--test', '--test-bail', errorTestFile]);
+    assert.strictEqual(child.stderr.toString(), '');
+    assert.match(child.stdout.toString(), /failureType: 'testCodeFailure'/);
+    assert.match(child.stdout.toString(), /0 !== 1/);
+    assert.match(child.stdout.toString(), /AssertionError/);
+    assert.doesNotMatch(child.stdout.toString(), /not ok 2 - dont show/);
+    assert.doesNotMatch(child.stdout.toString(), /# Subtest: dont show/);
+  });
+});
+
+describe('node:test bail tap', () => {
+  it('should exit at first failure', () => {
+    const child = spawnSync(process.execPath, ['--test', '--test-bail', testFile]);
+    assert.strictEqual(child.stderr.toString(), '');
+    assert.match(child.stdout.toString(), /ok 1 - first/);
+    assert.match(child.stdout.toString(), /not ok 2 - second/);
+    assert.doesNotMatch(child.stdout.toString(), /ok 3 - third/);
+    assert.match(child.stdout.toString(), /not ok 1 - nested/);
+    assert.doesNotMatch(child.stdout.toString(), /# Subtest: top level/);
+    assert.doesNotMatch(child.stdout.toString(), /ok 1 - ok forth/);
+    assert.doesNotMatch(child.stdout.toString(), /not ok 2 - fifth/);
+  });
+});
+
+describe('node:test bail spec', () => {
+  it('should exit at first failure', () => {
+    const child = spawnSync(process.execPath, ['--test', '--test-bail', '--test-reporter=spec', testFile]);
+    assert.strictEqual(child.stderr.toString(), '');
+    assert.match(child.stdout.toString(), /✔ first/);
+    assert.match(child.stdout.toString(), /✖ second/);
+    assert.doesNotMatch(child.stdout.toString(), /✖ third/);
+    assert.doesNotMatch(child.stdout.toString(), /✔ forth/);
+    assert.doesNotMatch(child.stdout.toString(), /✖ fifth/);
+  });
+});
diff --git a/test/parallel/test-runner-output.mjs b/test/parallel/test-runner-output.mjs
index 8db41bff38a114..2da8d2d1d53f36 100644
--- a/test/parallel/test-runner-output.mjs
+++ b/test/parallel/test-runner-output.mjs
@@ -75,6 +75,7 @@ const tests = [
   { name: 'test-runner/output/default_output.js', transform: specTransform, tty: true },
   { name: 'test-runner/output/arbitrary-output.js' },
   { name: 'test-runner/output/async-test-scheduling.mjs' },
+  { name: 'test-runner/output/abort.js' },
   !skipForceColors ? {
     name: 'test-runner/output/arbitrary-output-colored.js',
     transform: snapshot.transform(specTransform, replaceTestDuration), tty: true
@@ -87,6 +88,8 @@ const tests = [
       replaceTestDuration,
     ),
   },
+  { name: 'test-runner/output/bail.js', tty: true },
+  { name: 'test-runner/output/bail-error.js', tty: true },
 ]
 .filter(Boolean)
 .map(({ name, tty, transform }) => ({