diff --git a/tools/subunit-trace.py b/tools/subunit-trace.py
index 9501b1e1ab..73f2f1051c 100755
--- a/tools/subunit-trace.py
+++ b/tools/subunit-trace.py
@@ -294,6 +294,9 @@ def main():
         stream.run(result)
     finally:
         result.stopTestRun()
+    if count_tests('status', '.*') == 0:
+        print("The test run didn't actually run any tests")
+        return 1
     if args.post_fails:
         print_fails(sys.stdout)
     print_summary(sys.stdout)