diff --git a/lisp/progmodes/compile.el b/lisp/progmodes/compile.el
index 1a0d9bdbb7..a28e5f6068 100644
--- a/lisp/progmodes/compile.el
+++ b/lisp/progmodes/compile.el
@@ -2179,6 +2182,8 @@ compilation-handle-exit
     ;; Prevent that message from being recognized as a compilation error.
     (add-text-properties omax (point)
 			 (append '(compilation-handle-exit t) nil))
+    ;; Update the number of errors in compilation-mode-line-errors
+    (font-lock-ensure)
     (setq mode-line-process
           (list
            (let ((out-string (format ":%s [%s]" process-status (cdr status)))