diff --git a/core/retry.xml b/core/retry.xml
index 41afbbe9..069f2c63 100644
--- a/core/retry.xml
+++ b/core/retry.xml
@@ -19,7 +19,8 @@
       <param-copy name="@values@" />
     </classify>
 
-    <t:assert failure="Retrying suppliers are ineligible">
+    <t:assert failure="Retrying suppliers are ineligible"
+              as="-assert-supplier-pending">
       <t:match-eq on="__retry" value="FALSE" />
     </t:assert>
   </template>
diff --git a/progtest/src/TestCase.js b/progtest/src/TestCase.js
index 7d69457e..9258caf9 100644
--- a/progtest/src/TestCase.js
+++ b/progtest/src/TestCase.js
@@ -38,6 +38,11 @@ module.exports = Class( 'TestCase',
         return this._caseData.description || "";
     },
 
+    get allow_failures()
+    {
+        return this._caseData.allow_failures || false;
+    },
+
     get data()
     {
         return this._caseData.data || {};
@@ -72,9 +77,10 @@ module.exports = Class( 'TestCase',
         } );
 
         return module.exports( {
-            description: this.description,
-            data:        new_data,
-            expect:      new_expect,
+            description:    this.description,
+            allow_failures: this.allow_failures,
+            data:           new_data,
+            expect:         new_expect,
         } );
     },
 
diff --git a/progtest/src/TestRunner.js b/progtest/src/TestRunner.js
index ac172d0b..a969e49d 100644
--- a/progtest/src/TestRunner.js
+++ b/progtest/src/TestRunner.js
@@ -111,10 +111,22 @@ module.exports = Class( 'TestRunner',
      *
      * @return {Object<desc,i,total,failures>} test results
      */
-    'protected runTest'( { description: desc, data, expect }, test_i, total )
-    {
+    'protected runTest'(
+        {
+            description: desc,
+            allow_failures,
+            data,
+            expect,
+        },
+        test_i,
+        total
+    ) {
+        const can_term = ( typeof allow_failures === 'string' )
+                            ? !( allow_failures.toLowerCase() === 'true')
+                            : !allow_failures;
+
         // no input map---#rate uses params directly
-        const result = this._tryRun( data );
+        const result = this._tryRun( data, can_term );
 
         const cmp = Object.keys( expect ).map(
             field => [
@@ -163,14 +175,14 @@ module.exports = Class( 'TestRunner',
      *
      * @return {Object|Error} result or error
      */
-    'private _tryRun'( data )
+    'private _tryRun'( data, can_term )
     {
         // no input map---#rate uses params directly
         try
         {
             this._verifyKnownParams( data );
 
-            return this._program.rater( data ).vars;
+            return this._program.rater( data, can_term ).vars;
         }
         catch( e )
         {