diff --git a/tests/runtests.bat b/tests/runtests.bat
index 9ff4f2b85f..08362a5b2e 100644
--- a/tests/runtests.bat
+++ b/tests/runtests.bat
@@ -3,6 +3,14 @@
 REM Runs wxWidgets CppUnit tests
 REM This script is used to return the correct return value to the caller
 REM which is required by Buildbot to recognize failures.
+REM Note that in DOS error level is not the return code of the previous
+REM command; it is for (some!) built-in DOS commands like FIND but
+REM in general it's not. Thus to get the return code of the test utility
+REM we need some hack; see the guide:
+REM    http://www.infionline.net/~wtnewton/batch/batguide.html
+REM for general info about DOS batch files.
+
+REM Author: Francesco Montorsi
 REM $Id$
 
 rem set the path for running the tests if they use DLL build of wx
@@ -12,8 +20,15 @@ set failure=0
 
 for /d %%x in (*) do @(
     if exist %%x\test.exe (
-        %%x\test.exe
-        if %errorlevel% GEQ 1 set failure=1
+        %%x\test.exe >tmp
+        
+        REM show the output of the test in the buildbot log:
+        type tmp
+        
+        REM hack to understand if the tests succeeded or not
+        REM (failure=1 is set if "OK" does not appear in the test output)
+        type tmp | find "OK" >NUL
+        if ERRORLEVEL 1 set failure=1
 
         REM separe the output of the test we just executed from the next one
         echo.
@@ -25,13 +40,26 @@ for /d %%x in (*) do @(
     )
     
     if exist %%x\test_gui.exe (
-        %%x\test_gui.exe
-        if %errorlevel% GEQ 1 set failure=1
+        %%x\test_gui.exe >tmp
+        
+        REM show the output of the test in the buildbot log:
+        type tmp
+        
+        REM hack to understand if the tests succeeded or not
+        REM (failure=1 is set if "OK" does not appear in the test output)
+        type tmp | find "OK" >NUL
+        if ERRORLEVEL 1 set failure=1
     )
 )
 
 REM exit with code 1 if any of the test failed
-if %failure% EQU 1 exit 1
+del tmp
+if %failure% EQU 1 (
+    echo.
+    echo One or more test failed
+    echo.
+    exit 1
+)
 
 REM remove the failure env var:
 set failure=