diff --git a/nextest-runner/src/errors.rs b/nextest-runner/src/errors.rs
index c7e30427616..0c555ffb5b0 100644
--- a/nextest-runner/src/errors.rs
+++ b/nextest-runner/src/errors.rs
@@ -454,11 +454,11 @@ impl fmt::Display for PartitionerBuilderParseError {
     }
 }
 
-/// An error that occures while operating on a
+/// An error that occurs while operating on a
 /// [`TestFilterBuilder`](crate::test_filter::TestFilterBuilder).
 #[derive(Clone, Debug, Error)]
 pub enum TestFilterBuilderError {
-    /// An error that occured while constructing test filters.
+    /// An error that occurred while constructing test filters.
     #[error("error constructing test filters")]
     Construct {
         /// The underlying error.
diff --git a/nextest-runner/tests/integration/basic.rs b/nextest-runner/tests/integration/basic.rs
index d5ccac0ad6c..45d74be4946 100644
--- a/nextest-runner/tests/integration/basic.rs
+++ b/nextest-runner/tests/integration/basic.rs
@@ -51,7 +51,7 @@ fn test_list_tests() -> Result<()> {
     set_env_vars();
 
     let test_filter = TestFilterBuilder::any(RunIgnored::Default);
-    let test_list = FIXTURE_TARGETS.make_test_list(&test_filter, &TargetRunner::empty());
+    let test_list = FIXTURE_TARGETS.make_test_list(&test_filter, &TargetRunner::empty())?;
     let mut summary = test_list.to_summary();
 
     for (name, expected) in &*EXPECTED_TESTS {
@@ -90,7 +90,7 @@ fn test_run() -> Result<()> {
     set_env_vars();
 
     let test_filter = TestFilterBuilder::any(RunIgnored::Default);
-    let test_list = FIXTURE_TARGETS.make_test_list(&test_filter, &TargetRunner::empty());
+    let test_list = FIXTURE_TARGETS.make_test_list(&test_filter, &TargetRunner::empty())?;
     let config = load_config();
     let profile = config
         .profile(NextestConfig::DEFAULT_PROFILE)
@@ -198,7 +198,7 @@ fn test_run_ignored() -> Result<()> {
         vec![expr],
     )
     .unwrap();
-    let test_list = FIXTURE_TARGETS.make_test_list(&test_filter, &TargetRunner::empty());
+    let test_list = FIXTURE_TARGETS.make_test_list(&test_filter, &TargetRunner::empty())?;
     let config = load_config();
     let profile = config
         .profile(NextestConfig::DEFAULT_PROFILE)
@@ -275,7 +275,7 @@ fn test_filter_expr_with_string_filters() -> Result<()> {
         vec![expr],
     )
     .unwrap();
-    let test_list = FIXTURE_TARGETS.make_test_list(&test_filter, &TargetRunner::empty());
+    let test_list = FIXTURE_TARGETS.make_test_list(&test_filter, &TargetRunner::empty())?;
     for test in test_list.iter_tests() {
         if test.name == "tests::call_dylib_add_two" {
             assert!(
@@ -334,7 +334,7 @@ fn test_filter_expr_without_string_filters() -> Result<()> {
     let test_filter =
         TestFilterBuilder::new(RunIgnored::Default, None, Vec::<String>::new(), vec![expr])
             .unwrap();
-    let test_list = FIXTURE_TARGETS.make_test_list(&test_filter, &TargetRunner::empty());
+    let test_list = FIXTURE_TARGETS.make_test_list(&test_filter, &TargetRunner::empty())?;
     for test in test_list.iter_tests() {
         if test.name.contains("test_multiply_two") || test.name == "tests::call_dylib_add_two" {
             assert!(
@@ -363,7 +363,7 @@ fn test_string_filters_without_filter_expr() -> Result<()> {
         vec![],
     )
     .unwrap();
-    let test_list = FIXTURE_TARGETS.make_test_list(&test_filter, &TargetRunner::empty());
+    let test_list = FIXTURE_TARGETS.make_test_list(&test_filter, &TargetRunner::empty())?;
     for test in test_list.iter_tests() {
         if test.name.contains("test_multiply_two")
             || test.name.contains("tests::call_dylib_add_two")
@@ -395,7 +395,7 @@ fn test_retries(retries: Option<RetryPolicy>) -> Result<()> {
     set_env_vars();
 
     let test_filter = TestFilterBuilder::any(RunIgnored::Default);
-    let test_list = FIXTURE_TARGETS.make_test_list(&test_filter, &TargetRunner::empty());
+    let test_list = FIXTURE_TARGETS.make_test_list(&test_filter, &TargetRunner::empty())?;
     let config = load_config();
     let profile = config
         .profile("with-retries")
@@ -544,7 +544,7 @@ fn test_termination() -> Result<()> {
     )
     .unwrap();
 
-    let test_list = FIXTURE_TARGETS.make_test_list(&test_filter, &TargetRunner::empty());
+    let test_list = FIXTURE_TARGETS.make_test_list(&test_filter, &TargetRunner::empty())?;
     let config = load_config();
     let profile = config
         .profile("with-termination")
diff --git a/nextest-runner/tests/integration/fixtures.rs b/nextest-runner/tests/integration/fixtures.rs
index 84e6c2e40c2..76ec4032b77 100644
--- a/nextest-runner/tests/integration/fixtures.rs
+++ b/nextest-runner/tests/integration/fixtures.rs
@@ -2,6 +2,7 @@
 // SPDX-License-Identifier: MIT OR Apache-2.0
 
 use camino::{Utf8Path, Utf8PathBuf};
+use color_eyre::eyre::{Context, Result};
 use duct::cmd;
 use guppy::{graph::PackageGraph, MetadataCommand};
 use maplit::{btreemap, btreeset};
@@ -363,7 +364,7 @@ impl FixtureTargets {
         &self,
         test_filter: &TestFilterBuilder,
         target_runner: &TargetRunner,
-    ) -> TestList<'_> {
+    ) -> Result<TestList<'_>> {
         let test_bins: Vec<_> = self.test_artifacts.values().cloned().collect();
         let double_spawn = DoubleSpawnInfo::disabled();
         let ctx = TestExecuteContext {
@@ -380,7 +381,7 @@ impl FixtureTargets {
             self.env.to_owned(),
             get_num_cpus(),
         )
-        .expect("test list successfully created")
+        .context("Failed to make test list")
     }
 }
 
diff --git a/nextest-runner/tests/integration/target_runner.rs b/nextest-runner/tests/integration/target_runner.rs
index 3eba81200c8..9cd0c01eff2 100644
--- a/nextest-runner/tests/integration/target_runner.rs
+++ b/nextest-runner/tests/integration/target_runner.rs
@@ -162,7 +162,7 @@ fn test_listing_with_target_runner() -> Result<()> {
     set_env_vars();
 
     let test_filter = TestFilterBuilder::any(RunIgnored::Default);
-    let test_list = FIXTURE_TARGETS.make_test_list(&test_filter, &TargetRunner::empty());
+    let test_list = FIXTURE_TARGETS.make_test_list(&test_filter, &TargetRunner::empty())?;
 
     let bin_count = test_list.binary_count();
     let test_count = test_list.test_count();
@@ -174,7 +174,7 @@ fn test_listing_with_target_runner() -> Result<()> {
         );
         let (_, target_runner) = runner_for_target(None).unwrap();
 
-        let test_list = FIXTURE_TARGETS.make_test_list(&test_filter, &target_runner);
+        let test_list = FIXTURE_TARGETS.make_test_list(&test_filter, &target_runner)?;
 
         assert_eq!(bin_count, test_list.binary_count());
         assert_eq!(test_count, test_list.test_count());
@@ -207,7 +207,7 @@ fn test_run_with_target_runner() -> Result<()> {
         assert_eq!(passthrough_path(), runner.binary());
     }
 
-    let test_list = FIXTURE_TARGETS.make_test_list(&test_filter, &target_runner);
+    let test_list = FIXTURE_TARGETS.make_test_list(&test_filter, &target_runner)?;
 
     let config = load_config();
     let profile = config