diff --git a/mesonpy/_editable.py b/mesonpy/_editable.py
index 1c34abe05..ff3971fac 100644
--- a/mesonpy/_editable.py
+++ b/mesonpy/_editable.py
@@ -327,20 +327,23 @@ def _work_to_do(self, env: dict[str, str]) -> bool:
 
     @functools.lru_cache(maxsize=1)
     def _rebuild(self) -> Node:
-        # skip editable wheel lookup during rebuild: during the build
-        # the module we are rebuilding might be imported causing a
-        # rebuild loop.
-        env = os.environ.copy()
-        env[MARKER] = os.pathsep.join((env.get(MARKER, ''), self._build_path))
-
-        if self._verbose or bool(env.get(VERBOSE, '')):
-            # We want to show some output only if there is some work to do
-            if self._work_to_do(env):
-                build_command = ' '.join(self._build_cmd)
-                print(f'meson-python: building {self._name}: {build_command}', flush=True)
-                subprocess.run(self._build_cmd, cwd=self._build_path, env=env)
-        else:
-            subprocess.run(self._build_cmd, cwd=self._build_path, env=env, stdout=subprocess.DEVNULL)
+        try:
+            # Skip editable wheel lookup during rebuild: during the build
+            # the module we are rebuilding might be imported causing a
+            # rebuild loop.
+            env = os.environ.copy()
+            env[MARKER] = os.pathsep.join((env.get(MARKER, ''), self._build_path))
+
+            if self._verbose or bool(env.get(VERBOSE, '')):
+                # We want to show some output only if there is some work to do.
+                if self._work_to_do(env):
+                    build_command = ' '.join(self._build_cmd)
+                    print(f'meson-python: building {self._name}: {build_command}', flush=True)
+                    subprocess.run(self._build_cmd, cwd=self._build_path, env=env, check=True)
+            else:
+                subprocess.run(self._build_cmd, cwd=self._build_path, env=env, stdout=subprocess.DEVNULL, check=True)
+        except subprocess.CalledProcessError as exc:
+            raise ImportError(f're-building the {self._name} meson-python editable wheel package failed') from exc
 
         install_plan_path = os.path.join(self._build_path, 'meson-info', 'intro-install_plan.json')
         with open(install_plan_path, 'r', encoding='utf8') as f:
diff --git a/tests/test_editable.py b/tests/test_editable.py
index 7f51cddc2..acf9bda90 100644
--- a/tests/test_editable.py
+++ b/tests/test_editable.py
@@ -308,3 +308,35 @@ def test_editable_verbose(venv, package_complex, editable_complex, monkeypatch):
 
     # Another import without file changes should not show any output
     assert venv.python('-c', 'import complex') == ''
+
+
+@pytest.mark.parametrize('verbose', [False, True], ids=('', 'verbose'))
+def test_editable_rebuild_error(package_purelib_and_platlib, tmp_path, verbose):
+    with mesonpy._project({'builddir': os.fspath(tmp_path)}) as project:
+
+        finder = _editable.MesonpyMetaFinder(
+            project._metadata.name, {'plat', 'pure'},
+            os.fspath(tmp_path), project._build_command,
+            verbose=verbose,
+        )
+        path = package_purelib_and_platlib / 'plat.c'
+        code = path.read_text()
+
+        try:
+            # Install editable hooks
+            sys.meta_path.insert(0, finder)
+
+            # Insert invalid code in the extension module source code
+            path.write_text('return')
+
+            # Import module and trigger rebuild: the build fails and ImportErrror is raised
+            stdout = io.StringIO()
+            with redirect_stdout(stdout):
+                with pytest.raises(ImportError, match='re-building the purelib-and-platlib meson-python editable wheel package failed'):
+                    import plat
+            assert not verbose or stdout.getvalue().startswith('meson-python: building ')
+
+        finally:
+            del sys.meta_path[0]
+            sys.modules.pop('pure', None)
+            path.write_text(code)