diff --git a/tests/activemq5-unit-tests/pom.xml b/tests/activemq5-unit-tests/pom.xml
index 309efcb3fc..cd58170b56 100644
--- a/tests/activemq5-unit-tests/pom.xml
+++ b/tests/activemq5-unit-tests/pom.xml
@@ -435,6 +435,9 @@
             <artifactId>maven-surefire-plugin</artifactId>
             <configuration>
                <skipTests>${skipActiveMQ5Tests}</skipTests>
+               <systemPropertyVariables>
+                  <org.apache.activemq.AutoFailTestSupport.disableSystemExit>true</org.apache.activemq.AutoFailTestSupport.disableSystemExit>
+               </systemPropertyVariables>
 <!--
                <additionalClasspathElements>
                   <additionalClasspathElement>src/main/resources/stomp</additionalClasspathElement>
diff --git a/tests/activemq5-unit-tests/src/test/java/org/apache/activemq/AutoFailTestSupport.java b/tests/activemq5-unit-tests/src/test/java/org/apache/activemq/AutoFailTestSupport.java
index fe58442e38..06a2f79145 100644
--- a/tests/activemq5-unit-tests/src/test/java/org/apache/activemq/AutoFailTestSupport.java
+++ b/tests/activemq5-unit-tests/src/test/java/org/apache/activemq/AutoFailTestSupport.java
@@ -89,6 +89,7 @@ public abstract class AutoFailTestSupport extends TestCase {
                      System.exit(EXIT_ERROR);
                   } else {
                      LOG.error("No system.exit as it kills surefire - forkedProcessTimeoutInSeconds (surefire.timeout) will kick in eventually see pom.xml surefire plugin config");
+                     fail("Timeout in AutoFailTestSupport class has been exceeded");
                   }
                }
             }