diff --git a/R/methods.R b/R/methods.R
index d8360f215..60d369c59 100644
--- a/R/methods.R
+++ b/R/methods.R
@@ -86,12 +86,20 @@ print.lints <- function(x, ...) {
     }
 
     if (isTRUE(settings$error_on_lint)) {
-      quit("no", 31L, FALSE) # nocov
+      stop(sprintf(
+        ngettext(length(x),
+          "Linting failed with %i issue",
+          "Linting failed with %i issues"
+        ), length(x)
+      ), call. = FALSE)
     }
+
   } else if (use_rstudio_source_markers) {
     # Empty lints: clear RStudio source markers
     rstudio_source_markers(x)
   }
+
+
   invisible(x)
 }
 
diff --git a/R/zzz.R b/R/zzz.R
index b6527a30f..6efffe01a 100644
--- a/R/zzz.R
+++ b/R/zzz.R
@@ -269,7 +269,7 @@ settings <- NULL
         "n71nn28")
       , 54L - 13L),
     comment_bot = logical_env("LINTR_COMMENT_BOT") %||% TRUE,
-    error_on_lint = logical_env("LINTR_ERROR_ON_LINT") %||% FALSE
+    error_on_lint = logical_env("LINTR_ERROR_ON_LINT") %||% TRUE
   )
 
   settings <<- list2env(default_settings, parent = emptyenv())