diff --git a/pkgs/build-support/trivial-builders.nix b/pkgs/build-support/trivial-builders.nix
index 4a3d3778881..c5853ea664d 100644
--- a/pkgs/build-support/trivial-builders.nix
+++ b/pkgs/build-support/trivial-builders.nix
@@ -810,7 +810,11 @@ rec {
       command ? "${package.meta.mainProgram or package.pname or package.name} --version",
       version ? package.version,
     }: runCommand "${package.name}-test-version" { nativeBuildInputs = [ package ]; meta.timeout = 60; } ''
-      ${command} |& grep -Fw ${version}
-      touch $out
+      if output=$(${command} 2>&1); then
+        grep -Fw "${version}" - <<< "$output"
+        touch $out
+      else
+        echo "$output" >&2 && exit 1
+      fi
     '';
 }