diff --git a/CHANGES b/CHANGES
index 410d88c0a0..c627bd6f76 100644
--- a/CHANGES
+++ b/CHANGES
@@ -1,3 +1,6 @@
+3145.	[test]		Capture output of ATF unit tests in "./atf.out" if
+			there were any errors while running them. [RT #25527]
+
 3144.	[bug]		dns_dbiterator_seek() could trigger an assert when
 			used with a nonexistent database node. [RT #25358]
 
diff --git a/lib/dns/tests/.cvsignore b/lib/dns/tests/.cvsignore
index ee50e13466..6abab36d4a 100644
--- a/lib/dns/tests/.cvsignore
+++ b/lib/dns/tests/.cvsignore
@@ -1,2 +1,3 @@
 Makefile
+atf.out
 *_test
diff --git a/lib/dns/tests/Makefile.in b/lib/dns/tests/Makefile.in
index 5a8dd7040e..b8bd9dc128 100644
--- a/lib/dns/tests/Makefile.in
+++ b/lib/dns/tests/Makefile.in
@@ -12,7 +12,7 @@
 # OR OTHER TORTIOUS ACTION, ARISING OUT OF OR IN CONNECTION WITH THE USE OR
 # PERFORMANCE OF THIS SOFTWARE.
 
-# $Id: Makefile.in,v 1.6 2011/08/23 00:59:23 each Exp $
+# $Id: Makefile.in,v 1.7 2011/08/23 01:29:38 each Exp $
 
 srcdir =	@srcdir@
 VPATH =		@srcdir@
@@ -76,3 +76,4 @@ unit::
 
 clean distclean::
 	rm -f ${TARGETS}
+	rm -f atf.out
diff --git a/lib/dns/tests/update_test.c b/lib/dns/tests/update_test.c
index 07c2aa9687..934a4696b2 100644
--- a/lib/dns/tests/update_test.c
+++ b/lib/dns/tests/update_test.c
@@ -14,7 +14,7 @@
  * PERFORMANCE OF THIS SOFTWARE.
  */
 
-/* $Id: update_test.c,v 1.4 2011/07/06 18:11:35 each Exp $ */
+/* $Id: update_test.c,v 1.5 2011/08/23 01:29:38 each Exp $ */
 
 /* $Id: */
 
@@ -69,7 +69,7 @@ ATF_TC_BODY(increment, tc) {
 	ATF_REQUIRE_EQ(result, ISC_R_SUCCESS);
 	new = dns_update_soaserial(old, dns_updatemethod_increment);
 	ATF_REQUIRE_EQ(isc_serial_lt(old, new), ISC_TRUE);
-	ATF_CHECK(new != 0);
+	ATF_CHECK_MSG(new != 0, "new (%d) should not equal 0", new);
 	ATF_REQUIRE_EQ(new, 51);
 	dns_test_end();
 }
diff --git a/lib/isc/tests/.cvsignore b/lib/isc/tests/.cvsignore
index ee50e13466..6abab36d4a 100644
--- a/lib/isc/tests/.cvsignore
+++ b/lib/isc/tests/.cvsignore
@@ -1,2 +1,3 @@
 Makefile
+atf.out
 *_test
diff --git a/lib/isc/tests/Makefile.in b/lib/isc/tests/Makefile.in
index abe8cf82c9..88fb55a02e 100644
--- a/lib/isc/tests/Makefile.in
+++ b/lib/isc/tests/Makefile.in
@@ -12,7 +12,7 @@
 # OR OTHER TORTIOUS ACTION, ARISING OUT OF OR IN CONNECTION WITH THE USE OR
 # PERFORMANCE OF THIS SOFTWARE.
 
-# $Id: Makefile.in,v 1.5 2011/08/23 00:59:23 each Exp $
+# $Id: Makefile.in,v 1.6 2011/08/23 01:29:38 each Exp $
 
 srcdir =	@srcdir@
 VPATH =		@srcdir@
@@ -59,3 +59,4 @@ unit::
 
 clean distclean::
 	rm -f ${TARGETS}
+	rm -f atf.out
diff --git a/unit/unittest.sh.in b/unit/unittest.sh.in
index 8dd9897193..2b4f4b5b61 100644
--- a/unit/unittest.sh.in
+++ b/unit/unittest.sh.in
@@ -5,6 +5,8 @@ export PATH
 
 if [ -n "@ATFBIN@" ]
 then
-        # | cat is there to force non-fancy output
-	atf-run | atf-report | cat
+	atf-run > atf.out
+        status=$?
+        atf-report < atf.out
+        [ $status -eq 0 ] && rm -f atf.out
 fi