diff --git a/lisp/emacs-lisp/ert.el b/lisp/emacs-lisp/ert.el
index 2c49a634e3..f5f3e30c0d 100644
--- a/lisp/emacs-lisp/ert.el
+++ b/lisp/emacs-lisp/ert.el
@@ -303,8 +303,12 @@ ert--expand-should-1
               (args (cl-gensym "args-"))
               (value (cl-gensym "value-"))
               (default-value (cl-gensym "ert-form-evaluation-aborted-")))
-          `(let ((,fn (function ,fn-name))
-                 (,args (list ,@arg-forms)))
+          `(let* ((,fn (function ,fn-name))
+                  (,args (condition-case err
+                             (list ,@arg-forms)
+                           (error (progn (setq ,fn #'signal)
+                                         (list (car err)
+                                               (cdr err)))))))
              (let ((,value ',default-value))
                ,(funcall inner-expander
                          `(setq ,value (apply ,fn ,args))