diff --git a/build.sh b/build.sh
index 129651bc785..cd4bd46db5d 100755
--- a/build.sh
+++ b/build.sh
@@ -151,4 +151,10 @@ echo Generating $BUILD_TYPE makefiles
 cmake $CMAKE_GEN $CC_PREFIX $ICU_PATH -DCMAKE_BUILD_TYPE=$BUILD_TYPE ..
 
 $MAKE $MULTICORE_BUILD 2>&1 | tee build.log
+_RET=${PIPESTATUS[0]}
+if [[ $_RET != 0 ]]; then
+    echo Error: $MAKE return $_RET
+fi
+
 popd > /dev/null
+exit $_RET
\ No newline at end of file