diff --git a/gradle/validation/spotless.gradle b/gradle/validation/spotless.gradle
index 372bcf2f9e7..860c0ca9b43 100644
--- a/gradle/validation/spotless.gradle
+++ b/gradle/validation/spotless.gradle
@@ -111,3 +111,9 @@ configure(project(":lucene").subprojects) { prj ->
     v.dependsOn ":checkJdkInternalsExportedToGradle"
   }
 }
+
+gradle.taskGraph.afterTask { Task task, TaskState state ->
+  if (task.name == 'spotlessJavaCheck' && state.failure) {
+    throw new GradleException("\n****************************\n*PLEASE RUN ./gradlew tidy!*\n****************************");
+  }
+}