diff --git a/test/composertest.py b/test/composertest.py
index 6258da30..2a5f990c 100644
--- a/test/composertest.py
+++ b/test/composertest.py
@@ -76,9 +76,14 @@ class ComposerTestCase(unittest.TestCase):
         return subprocess.run(self.ssh_command + command, **args)
 
     def runCliTest(self, script):
+        extra_env = []
+        if self.sit:
+            extra_env.append("COMPOSER_TEST_FAIL_FAST=1")
+
         r = self.execute(["CLI=/usr/bin/composer-cli",
                           "TEST=" + self.id(),
                           "PACKAGE=composer-cli",
+                          *extra_env,
                           "/tests/test_cli.sh", script])
         self.assertEqual(r.returncode, 0)
 
diff --git a/tests/cli/lib/lib.sh b/tests/cli/lib/lib.sh
index 9aeb9631..98fa1a76 100755
--- a/tests/cli/lib/lib.sh
+++ b/tests/cli/lib/lib.sh
@@ -1,5 +1,21 @@
 #!/usr/bin/env bash
 
+# Monkey-patch beakerlib to exit on first failure if COMPOSER_TEST_FAIL_FAST is
+# set. https://github.com/beakerlib/beakerlib/issues/42
+if [ "$COMPOSER_TEST_FAIL_FAST" == "1" ]; then
+  eval "original$(declare -f __INTERNAL_LogAndJournalFail)"
+
+  __INTERNAL_LogAndJournalFail () {
+    original__INTERNAL_LogAndJournalFail
+
+    # end test somewhat cleanly so that beakerlib logs the FAIL correctly
+    rlPhaseEnd
+    rlJournalEnd
+
+    exit 1
+  }
+fi
+
 # a generic helper function unifying the specific checks executed on a running
 # image instance
 verify_image() {
diff --git a/tests/cli/test_blueprints_sanity.sh b/tests/cli/test_blueprints_sanity.sh
index 46b0e0b7..ff50bd0d 100755
--- a/tests/cli/test_blueprints_sanity.sh
+++ b/tests/cli/test_blueprints_sanity.sh
@@ -4,6 +4,7 @@
 set -e
 
 . /usr/share/beakerlib/beakerlib.sh
+. $(dirname $0)/lib/lib.sh
 
 CLI="${CLI:-./src/bin/composer-cli}"
 
diff --git a/tests/cli/test_compose_ext4-filesystem.sh b/tests/cli/test_compose_ext4-filesystem.sh
index b968f8d9..e31fe8d7 100755
--- a/tests/cli/test_compose_ext4-filesystem.sh
+++ b/tests/cli/test_compose_ext4-filesystem.sh
@@ -12,6 +12,7 @@
 set -e
 
 . /usr/share/beakerlib/beakerlib.sh
+. $(dirname $0)/lib/lib.sh
 
 CLI="${CLI:-./src/bin/composer-cli}"
 
diff --git a/tests/cli/test_compose_google.sh b/tests/cli/test_compose_google.sh
index bfe8ca54..7842bf1d 100755
--- a/tests/cli/test_compose_google.sh
+++ b/tests/cli/test_compose_google.sh
@@ -9,6 +9,7 @@
 set -e
 
 . /usr/share/beakerlib/beakerlib.sh
+. $(dirname $0)/lib/lib.sh
 
 CLI="${CLI:-./src/bin/composer-cli}"
 
diff --git a/tests/cli/test_compose_partitioned-disk.sh b/tests/cli/test_compose_partitioned-disk.sh
index 9f01425e..b229a52e 100755
--- a/tests/cli/test_compose_partitioned-disk.sh
+++ b/tests/cli/test_compose_partitioned-disk.sh
@@ -12,6 +12,7 @@
 set -e
 
 . /usr/share/beakerlib/beakerlib.sh
+. $(dirname $0)/lib/lib.sh
 
 CLI="${CLI:-./src/bin/composer-cli}"
 
diff --git a/tests/cli/test_compose_sanity.sh b/tests/cli/test_compose_sanity.sh
index f6716734..38ba65e4 100755
--- a/tests/cli/test_compose_sanity.sh
+++ b/tests/cli/test_compose_sanity.sh
@@ -4,6 +4,7 @@
 set -e
 
 . /usr/share/beakerlib/beakerlib.sh
+. $(dirname $0)/lib/lib.sh
 
 CLI="${CLI:-./src/bin/composer-cli}"
 
diff --git a/tests/cli/test_compose_tar.sh b/tests/cli/test_compose_tar.sh
index f54ea4bd..f23ec685 100755
--- a/tests/cli/test_compose_tar.sh
+++ b/tests/cli/test_compose_tar.sh
@@ -10,6 +10,7 @@
 set -e
 
 . /usr/share/beakerlib/beakerlib.sh
+. $(dirname $0)/lib/lib.sh
 
 CLI="${CLI:-./src/bin/composer-cli}"