diff --git a/qqq-backend-core/src/main/java/com/kingsrook/qqq/backend/core/processes/implementations/scripts/TestScriptProcessStep.java b/qqq-backend-core/src/main/java/com/kingsrook/qqq/backend/core/processes/implementations/scripts/TestScriptProcessStep.java
index 98a32e96..0abab72c 100644
--- a/qqq-backend-core/src/main/java/com/kingsrook/qqq/backend/core/processes/implementations/scripts/TestScriptProcessStep.java
+++ b/qqq-backend-core/src/main/java/com/kingsrook/qqq/backend/core/processes/implementations/scripts/TestScriptProcessStep.java
@@ -118,6 +118,11 @@ public class TestScriptProcessStep implements BackendStep
             runAdHocRecordScriptInput.setCodeReference(new AdHocScriptCodeReference().withScriptRevisionRecord(scriptRevision.toQRecord()));
             RunAdHocRecordScriptOutput runAdHocRecordScriptOutput = new RunAdHocRecordScriptOutput();
             new RunAdHocRecordScriptAction().run(runAdHocRecordScriptInput, runAdHocRecordScriptOutput);
+
+            /////////////////////////////////////////////
+            // if there was an exception, send it back //
+            /////////////////////////////////////////////
+            runAdHocRecordScriptOutput.getException().ifPresent(e -> output.addValue("exception", e));
          }
          else
          {