diff --git a/packages/vitest/src/node/core.ts b/packages/vitest/src/node/core.ts
index f8ea2f90d..cd2963bad 100644
--- a/packages/vitest/src/node/core.ts
+++ b/packages/vitest/src/node/core.ts
@@ -801,6 +801,9 @@ export class Vitest {
         const testModules = await this.parseSpecifications(files, {
           concurrency: options.staticParseConcurrency,
         })
+        if (hasFailed(testModules.map(testModule => testModule.task))) {
+          process.exitCode = 1
+        }
         return { testModules, unhandledErrors: [] }
       }
 
diff --git a/test/e2e/test/__snapshots__/list.test.ts.snap b/test/e2e/test/__snapshots__/list.test.ts.snap
index dbec0325e..906ece589 100644
--- a/test/e2e/test/__snapshots__/list.test.ts.snap
+++ b/test/e2e/test/__snapshots__/list.test.ts.snap
@@ -19,6 +19,11 @@ Error: top level error
 "
 `;
 
+exports[`basic output shows error with static parsing 1`] = `
+"Error: No test suite found in file <root>/fixtures/list/top-level-error.test.ts
+"
+`;
+
 exports[`correctly outputs all tests with args: "--browser.enabled" 1`] = `
 "[chromium] basic.test.ts > basic suite > inner suite > some test
 [chromium] basic.test.ts > basic suite > inner suite > another test
@@ -104,6 +109,11 @@ Error: top level error
 "
 `;
 
+exports[`json output shows error with static parsing 1`] = `
+"Error: No test suite found in file <root>/fixtures/list/top-level-error.test.ts
+"
+`;
+
 exports[`json with a file output shows error 1`] = `
 "Error: describe error
  ❯ describe-error.test.ts:4:9
@@ -122,3 +132,8 @@ Error: top level error
 
 "
 `;
+
+exports[`json with a file output shows error with static parsing 1`] = `
+"Error: No test suite found in file <root>/fixtures/list/top-level-error.test.ts
+"
+`;
diff --git a/test/e2e/test/list.test.ts b/test/e2e/test/list.test.ts
index fe83e2d6f..98ba63744 100644
--- a/test/e2e/test/list.test.ts
+++ b/test/e2e/test/list.test.ts
@@ -27,6 +27,17 @@ test.each([
   expect(exitCode).toBe(1)
 })
 
+test.each([
+  ['basic'],
+  ['json', '--json'],
+  ['json with a file', '--json=./list.json'],
+])('%s output shows error with static parsing', async (_, ...args) => {
+  const { stderr, stdout, exitCode } = await runVitestCli('list', '-r=./fixtures/list', '-c=fail.config.ts', ...args)
+  expect(stdout).toBe('')
+  expect(relative(stderr)).toMatchSnapshot()
+  expect(exitCode).toBe(1)
+})
+
 test('correctly outputs json', async () => {
   const { stdout, exitCode } = await runVitestCli('list', '-r=./fixtures/list', '--json')
   expect(relative(stdout)).toMatchInlineSnapshot(`