diff --git a/nixos/modules/system/activation/pre-switch-check.nix b/nixos/modules/system/activation/pre-switch-check.nix
index 2b53e390b19d..e80bec9eee9a 100644
--- a/nixos/modules/system/activation/pre-switch-check.nix
+++ b/nixos/modules/system/activation/pre-switch-check.nix
@@ -8,9 +8,18 @@ let
   preSwitchCheckScript = lib.concatLines (
     lib.mapAttrsToList (name: text: ''
       # pre-switch check ${name}
-      if ! (
+      #
+      # Run with errexit in a subshell that is not part of an `if`/`||`
+      # condition, so that `set -e` is actually honoured inside the
+      # check body.
+      set +e
+      (
+        set -e
         ${text}
-      ) >&2 ; then
+      ) >&2
+      _rc=$?
+      set -e
+      if [ "$_rc" -ne 0 ]; then
         echo "Pre-switch check '${name}' failed" >&2
         exit 1
       fi
diff --git a/nixos/tests/switch-test.nix b/nixos/tests/switch-test.nix
index 256c25108593..2dbc9386f8ae 100644
--- a/nixos/tests/switch-test.nix
+++ b/nixos/tests/switch-test.nix
@@ -788,6 +788,11 @@ in
         echo this will fail
         false
       '';
+      specialisation.failingMidCheck.configuration.system.preSwitchChecks.failsInTheMiddle = ''
+        echo before
+        nonexistent-command
+        echo after
+      '';
     };
   };
 
@@ -888,6 +893,11 @@ in
           machine.succeed("${stderrRunner} ${otherSystem}/bin/switch-to-configuration check")
           out = switch_to_specialisation("${otherSystem}", "failingCheck", action="check", fail=True)
           assert_contains(out, "this will fail")
+          # errexit must be honoured inside the check body
+          out = switch_to_specialisation("${otherSystem}", "failingMidCheck", action="check", fail=True)
+          assert_contains(out, "before")
+          assert_contains(out, "Pre-switch check 'failsInTheMiddle' failed")
+          assert_lacks(out, "after")
 
       with subtest("switch inhibitors"):
           # Start without any inhibitors