diff --git a/ninja-xtask/CHANGELOG.md b/ninja-xtask/CHANGELOG.md
index f3151c4..c3c8444 100644
--- a/ninja-xtask/CHANGELOG.md
+++ b/ninja-xtask/CHANGELOG.md
@@ -1,5 +1,9 @@
 # Changelog ninja-xtask
 
+## v0.2.6
+
+- show stdout and exit status for failed commands
+
 ## v0.2.4 & 0.2.5
 
 - fix build workflow for publishing binaries
diff --git a/ninja-xtask/Cargo.lock b/ninja-xtask/Cargo.lock
index dd6cc81..21fef2a 100644
--- a/ninja-xtask/Cargo.lock
+++ b/ninja-xtask/Cargo.lock
@@ -352,7 +352,7 @@ checksum = "f8ca58f447f06ed17d5fc4043ce1b10dd205e060fb3ce5b979b8ed8e59ff3f79"
 
 [[package]]
 name = "ninja-xtask"
-version = "0.2.5"
+version = "0.2.6"
 dependencies = [
  "autocfg",
  "clap",
diff --git a/ninja-xtask/Cargo.toml b/ninja-xtask/Cargo.toml
index 7793cb0..961a9c3 100644
--- a/ninja-xtask/Cargo.toml
+++ b/ninja-xtask/Cargo.toml
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 [package]
 name = "ninja-xtask"
-version = "0.2.5"
+version = "0.2.6"
 edition = "2024"
 readme = "README.md"
 description = "xtask utilities that I use in most projects"
diff --git a/ninja-xtask/src/lib.rs b/ninja-xtask/src/lib.rs
index c63c152..8039aa2 100644
--- a/ninja-xtask/src/lib.rs
+++ b/ninja-xtask/src/lib.rs
@@ -93,8 +93,12 @@ impl From<Cmd> for Exit<()> {
                     println!("{}: OK", cmd.name);
                     Self::Ok(())
                 } else {
+                    let stdout = String::from_utf8_lossy(&output.stdout);
                     let stderr = String::from_utf8_lossy(&output.stderr);
-                    Self::Error(stderr.to_string())
+                    Self::Error(format!(
+                        "====== {} exited with {} ======\n-- stdout: --\n{}\n\n-- stderr: --\n{}",
+                        cmd.name, output.status, stdout, stderr
+                    ))
                 }
             }
             Err(e) => {
diff --git a/ninja-xtask/tests/fixture/src/lib.rs b/ninja-xtask/tests/fixture/src/lib.rs
index 66e8ee2..1b5aa23 100644
--- a/ninja-xtask/tests/fixture/src/lib.rs
+++ b/ninja-xtask/tests/fixture/src/lib.rs
@@ -1 +1,11 @@
-enum foo { bar }
\ No newline at end of file
+enum foo { bar }
+
+#[cfg(test)]
+mod tests {
+    #[test]
+    fn print_and_panic() {
+        println!("test printed to stdout");
+        dbg!("test dbg");
+        assert_eq!(5,7);
+    }
+}
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/ninja-xtask/tests/test_fmt.rs b/ninja-xtask/tests/test_commands.rs
similarity index 60%
rename from ninja-xtask/tests/test_fmt.rs
rename to ninja-xtask/tests/test_commands.rs
index d8787f1..829f563 100644
--- a/ninja-xtask/tests/test_fmt.rs
+++ b/ninja-xtask/tests/test_commands.rs
@@ -1,7 +1,10 @@
-use std::fs;
+use std::{fs, path::PathBuf};
 
 use dircpy::copy_dir;
-use ninja_xtask::commands::fmt;
+use ninja_xtask::{
+    Exit,
+    commands::{fmt, test},
+};
 use tempfile::tempdir;
 
 #[test]
@@ -23,3 +26,18 @@ fn fmt_fixture() {
     assert_ne!(original, formatted);
     dbg!(tmp.path());
 }
+
+#[test]
+fn fail_output() {
+    let fixture = PathBuf::from("tests/fixture");
+    let run_tests = test(&fixture);
+    let exit = Exit::from(run_tests);
+    let Exit::Error(output) = exit else {
+        panic!("test didn't fail")
+    };
+    assert!(output.contains("====== tests exited with"));
+    assert!(output.contains("test printed to stdout"));
+    assert!(output.contains("test dbg"));
+    assert!(output.contains("left: 5"));
+    println!("{output}");
+}