diff --git a/infrared_plugin/plugin.spec b/infrared_plugin/plugin.spec
index 5f38fdf13..8af70c69d 100644
--- a/infrared_plugin/plugin.spec
+++ b/infrared_plugin/plugin.spec
@@ -127,6 +127,10 @@ subparsers:
             type: Value
             help: name of workflow to execute
             ansible_variable: test_workflow
+          failfast:
+            type: Flag
+            help: Stop the test run on the first step error or failure
+            ansible_variable: test_failfast
           tox-dir:
             type: Value
             help: directory from where run tox (typically test_dir)
diff --git a/roles/tobiko-common/defaults/main.yaml b/roles/tobiko-common/defaults/main.yaml
index 86e8318d2..cd2a462b4 100644
--- a/roles/tobiko-common/defaults/main.yaml
+++ b/roles/tobiko-common/defaults/main.yaml
@@ -22,6 +22,7 @@ test_git_version: 'master'
 test_src_dir: ''
 test_user: '{{ ansible_user | default(omit) }}'
 test_group: '{{ test_user }}'
+test_mode: '{{ omit }}'
 
 
 # NOTE: if test_dir and tobiko_dir variables endup being the same actual
@@ -38,6 +39,7 @@ tobiko_git_version: 'master'
 tobiko_src_dir: ''
 tobiko_user: '{{ ansible_user | default(omit) }}'
 tobiko_group: '{{ tobiko_user }}'
+tobiko_mode: '{{ omit }}'
 
 
 # --- Test configuration options ----------------------------------------------
diff --git a/roles/tobiko-deploy/defaults/main.yaml b/roles/tobiko-deploy/defaults/main.yaml
index ce1f04ebd..e484ac5d4 100644
--- a/roles/tobiko-deploy/defaults/main.yaml
+++ b/roles/tobiko-deploy/defaults/main.yaml
@@ -8,6 +8,7 @@ test_deploy_dirs:
   # test suite directory
   - clean_dir: '{{ clean_deploy_dir }}'
     dest_dir: '{{ test_dir }}'
+    dest_mode: '{{ test_mode }}'
     dest_user: '{{ test_user }}'
     dest_group: '{{ test_group }}'
     git_repo: '{{ test_git_repo }}'
@@ -19,6 +20,7 @@ test_deploy_dirs:
   # Tobiko framework directory
   - clean_dir: '{{ clean_deploy_dir }}'
     dest_dir: '{{ tobiko_dir }}'
+    dest_mode: '{{ tobiko_mode }}'
     dest_user: '{{ tobiko_user }}'
     dest_group: '{{ tobiko_group }}'
     git_repo: '{{ tobiko_git_repo }}'
diff --git a/roles/tobiko-deploy/tasks/deploy-dir.yaml b/roles/tobiko-deploy/tasks/deploy-dir.yaml
index 5dff16c20..a315353b0 100644
--- a/roles/tobiko-deploy/tasks/deploy-dir.yaml
+++ b/roles/tobiko-deploy/tasks/deploy-dir.yaml
@@ -22,7 +22,7 @@
     state: directory
     owner: '{{ dest_user | default(omit) }}'
     group: '{{ dest_group | default(omit) }}'
-    mode: '0755'
+    mode: '{{ dest_mode | default(omit) }}'
     recurse: yes
   become: '{{ test_become | bool }}'
   register: create_dest_dir
diff --git a/roles/tobiko-run/defaults/main.yaml b/roles/tobiko-run/defaults/main.yaml
index 27d2d35b9..585633594 100644
--- a/roles/tobiko-run/defaults/main.yaml
+++ b/roles/tobiko-run/defaults/main.yaml
@@ -1,5 +1,7 @@
 ---
 
+test_failfast: false
 test_workflow: default
 tox_step_name:
 tox_step_index: 0
+test_step_failures: []
diff --git a/roles/tobiko-run/tasks/main.yaml b/roles/tobiko-run/tasks/main.yaml
index b145ecc2c..586edb5cf 100644
--- a/roles/tobiko-run/tasks/main.yaml
+++ b/roles/tobiko-run/tasks/main.yaml
@@ -14,3 +14,9 @@
   loop_control:
     label: '{{ test_step.tox_description }}'
     loop_var: test_step
+
+
+- name: "report test step failures"
+  debug: var=test_step_failures
+  when: '(test_step_failures | length) > 0'
+  failed_when: yes
diff --git a/roles/tobiko-run/tasks/run.yaml b/roles/tobiko-run/tasks/run.yaml
index a5670ace8..b79678aca 100644
--- a/roles/tobiko-run/tasks/run.yaml
+++ b/roles/tobiko-run/tasks/run.yaml
@@ -15,6 +15,17 @@
     - (test_workflow_steps | length) > 1
 
 
-- name: '{{ test_step.tox_description }}'
-  include_role:
-    name: tobiko-tox
+- block:
+    - name: '{{ test_step.tox_description }}'
+      include_role:
+        name: tobiko-tox
+
+  rescue:
+    - name: "add step failure: '{{ tox_step_name }}'"
+      set_fact:
+        test_step_failures: '{{ test_step_failures + [test_step] }}'
+
+    - name: "abort execution at first failure"
+      debug: var=test_step
+      when: test_failfast
+      failed_when: yes