diff --git a/common.mk b/common.mk
index 6e47e393..6cebf335 100644
--- a/common.mk
+++ b/common.mk
@@ -107,12 +107,12 @@ $(BOOTROM_TARGETS): $(build_dir)/bootrom.%.img: $(TESTCHIP_RSRCS_DIR)/testchipip
 # AG: must re-elaborate if cva6 sources have changed... otherwise just run firrtl compile
 $(FIRRTL_FILE) $(ANNO_FILE) $(CHISEL_LOG_FILE) &: $(SCALA_SOURCES) $(SCALA_BUILDTOOL_DEPS) $(EXTRA_GENERATOR_REQS)
 	mkdir -p $(build_dir)
-	$(call run_scala_main,$(SBT_PROJECT),$(GENERATOR_PACKAGE).Generator,\
+	(set -o pipefail && $(call run_scala_main,$(SBT_PROJECT),$(GENERATOR_PACKAGE).Generator,\
 		--target-dir $(build_dir) \
 		--name $(long_name) \
 		--top-module $(MODEL_PACKAGE).$(MODEL) \
 		--legacy-configs $(CONFIG_PACKAGE):$(CONFIG) \
-		$(EXTRA_CHISEL_OPTIONS)) | tee $(CHISEL_LOG_FILE)
+		$(EXTRA_CHISEL_OPTIONS)) | tee $(CHISEL_LOG_FILE))
 
 define mfc_extra_anno_contents
 [