diff --git a/conda_build/build.py b/conda_build/build.py
index 25b64c30ff..42fe0d5c21 100644
--- a/conda_build/build.py
+++ b/conda_build/build.py
@@ -3553,7 +3553,12 @@ def test(
     return True
 
 
-def tests_failed(package_or_metadata, move_broken, broken_dir, config):
+def tests_failed(
+    package_or_metadata: str | os.PathLike | Path | MetaData,
+    move_broken: bool,
+    broken_dir: str | os.PathLike | Path,
+    config: Config,
+) -> None:
     """
     Causes conda to exit if any of the given package's tests failed.
 
@@ -3581,7 +3586,7 @@ def tests_failed(package_or_metadata, move_broken, broken_dir, config):
         _delegated_update_index(
             os.path.dirname(os.path.dirname(pkg)), verbose=config.debug, threads=1
         )
-    sys.exit("TESTS FAILED: " + os.path.basename(pkg))
+    raise CondaBuildUserError("TESTS FAILED: " + os.path.basename(pkg))
 
 
 @deprecated(
diff --git a/tests/cli/test_main_build.py b/tests/cli/test_main_build.py
index 9f4ce1cbb0..ed56cabceb 100644
--- a/tests/cli/test_main_build.py
+++ b/tests/cli/test_main_build.py
@@ -16,7 +16,7 @@
     Config,
     zstd_compression_level_default,
 )
-from conda_build.exceptions import DependencyNeedsBuildingError
+from conda_build.exceptions import CondaBuildUserError, DependencyNeedsBuildingError
 from conda_build.os_utils.external import find_executable
 from conda_build.utils import get_build_folders, on_win, package_has_file
 
@@ -165,7 +165,7 @@ def test_build_long_test_prefix_default_enabled(mocker, testing_workdir):
     main_build.execute(args)
 
     args.append("--no-long-test-prefix")
-    with pytest.raises(SystemExit):
+    with pytest.raises(CondaBuildUserError):
         main_build.execute(args)
 
 
@@ -483,7 +483,7 @@ def test_test_extra_dep(testing_metadata):
     main_build.execute(args)
 
     # missing click dep will fail tests
-    with pytest.raises(SystemExit):
+    with pytest.raises(CondaBuildUserError):
         args = [output, "-t"]
         # extra_deps will add it in
         main_build.execute(args)
diff --git a/tests/test_api_build.py b/tests/test_api_build.py
index 4199b9ec68..514db4f223 100644
--- a/tests/test_api_build.py
+++ b/tests/test_api_build.py
@@ -38,6 +38,7 @@
 from conda_build.exceptions import (
     BuildScriptException,
     CondaBuildException,
+    CondaBuildUserError,
     DependencyNeedsBuildingError,
     OverDependingError,
     OverLinkingError,
@@ -279,7 +280,7 @@ def test_no_include_recipe_meta_yaml(testing_metadata, testing_config):
     )[0]
     assert not package_has_file(output_file, "info/recipe/meta.yaml")
 
-    with pytest.raises(SystemExit):
+    with pytest.raises(CondaBuildUserError):
         # we are testing that even with the recipe excluded, we still get the tests in place
         output_file = api.build(
             os.path.join(metadata_dir, "_no_include_recipe"), config=testing_config
@@ -545,7 +546,7 @@ def test_skip_existing_url(testing_metadata, testing_workdir, capfd):
 
 def test_failed_tests_exit_build(testing_config):
     """https://github.com/conda/conda-build/issues/1112"""
-    with pytest.raises(SystemExit, match="TESTS FAILED"):
+    with pytest.raises(CondaBuildUserError, match="TESTS FAILED"):
         api.build(
             os.path.join(metadata_dir, "_test_failed_test_exits"), config=testing_config
         )
@@ -1808,7 +1809,7 @@ def test_downstream_tests(testing_config):
     upstream = os.path.join(metadata_dir, "_test_downstreams/upstream")
     downstream = os.path.join(metadata_dir, "_test_downstreams/downstream")
     api.build(downstream, config=testing_config, notest=True)
-    with pytest.raises(SystemExit):
+    with pytest.raises(CondaBuildUserError):
         api.build(upstream, config=testing_config)
 
 
diff --git a/tests/test_api_test.py b/tests/test_api_test.py
index 2bb76838aa..10200d5a99 100644
--- a/tests/test_api_test.py
+++ b/tests/test_api_test.py
@@ -9,6 +9,7 @@
 import pytest
 
 from conda_build import api
+from conda_build.exceptions import CondaBuildUserError
 
 from .utils import metadata_dir
 
@@ -63,5 +64,5 @@ def test_api_extra_dep(testing_metadata):
     api.test(output, config=testing_metadata.config, extra_deps=["click"])
 
     # missing click dep will fail tests
-    with pytest.raises(SystemExit):
+    with pytest.raises(CondaBuildUserError):
         api.test(output, config=testing_metadata.config)
diff --git a/tests/test_build.py b/tests/test_build.py
index 4078d8273e..f7c3f2ba8c 100644
--- a/tests/test_build.py
+++ b/tests/test_build.py
@@ -381,3 +381,13 @@ def test_handle_anaconda_upload(testing_config: Config, mocker: MockerFixture):
 
     with pytest.raises(CondaBuildUserError):
         build.handle_anaconda_upload((), testing_config)
+
+
+def test_tests_failed(testing_metadata: MetaData, tmp_path: Path):
+    with pytest.raises(CondaBuildUserError):
+        build.tests_failed(
+            package_or_metadata=testing_metadata,
+            move_broken=True,
+            broken_dir=tmp_path,
+            config=testing_metadata.config,
+        )
diff --git a/tests/test_subpackages.py b/tests/test_subpackages.py
index 11e43383d0..4307eb0f5b 100644
--- a/tests/test_subpackages.py
+++ b/tests/test_subpackages.py
@@ -11,6 +11,7 @@
 from conda.base.context import context
 
 from conda_build import api, utils
+from conda_build.exceptions import CondaBuildUserError
 from conda_build.metadata import MetaDataTuple
 from conda_build.render import finalize_metadata
 
@@ -292,7 +293,7 @@ def test_per_output_tests(testing_config):
 @pytest.mark.sanity
 def test_per_output_tests_script(testing_config):
     recipe_dir = os.path.join(subpackage_dir, "_output_test_script")
-    with pytest.raises(SystemExit):
+    with pytest.raises(CondaBuildUserError):
         api.build(recipe_dir, config=testing_config)