diff --git a/backends/arm/test/test_arm_backend.sh b/backends/arm/test/test_arm_backend.sh
index cadc59907f3..16f8b11d971 100755
--- a/backends/arm/test/test_arm_backend.sh
+++ b/backends/arm/test/test_arm_backend.sh
@@ -90,7 +90,8 @@ test_pytest_models_no_target() {
     source backends/arm/scripts/install_models_for_test.sh
 
     # Run arm baremetal pytest tests without FVP
-    pytest "${PYTEST_RETRY_ARGS[@]}" --verbose --color=yes --numprocesses=auto --durations=0 backends/arm/test/models -k "${EXCLUDE_TARGET_EXPR}" -m "not xlarge"
+    # Exit code 5 means no tests were collected; preserve all other failures.
+    pytest "${PYTEST_RETRY_ARGS[@]}" --verbose --color=yes --numprocesses=auto --durations=0 backends/arm/test/models -k "${EXCLUDE_TARGET_EXPR}" -m "not xlarge" || [[ $? -eq 5 ]]
     echo "${TEST_SUITE_NAME}: PASS"
 }