diff --git a/.github/workflows/tests.yml b/.github/workflows/tests.yml
index 56e0ca3c..d446a5e7 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/tests.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/tests.yml
@@ -35,6 +35,17 @@ jobs:
         # retries are added due to test failures with dependencies
       - name: Run tests
         run: script/run_tests.sh
+#        continue-on-error: true
+        
+        # Continue on error to capture the exit status
+      - name: Check exit status
+        run: |
+          if [ $? -eq 0 ]; then
+            echo "Workflow succeeded."
+          else
+            echo "Workflow failed."
+             exit 1
+          fi
         
 #      - name: Stop local test server
 #        run: docker-compose -p xmtp-ios -f dev/local/docker-compose.yml down
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/script/run_tests.sh b/script/run_tests.sh
index a35637d2..1acdc6ca 100755
--- a/script/run_tests.sh
+++ b/script/run_tests.sh
@@ -12,7 +12,12 @@ do
 	echo "Test Succeeded"
 	break
   else
-	echo "Test Suite Failed. Retrying..."
 	((retries=retries+1))
+	echo "Test Suite Failed. Retrying Attempt ($retries) ..."
   fi
 done
+
+if [ $retries -ge 5 ]; then
+  echo "Maximum number of retries exceeded. Exiting with status code 1."
+  exit 1
+fi