diff --git a/.travis.yml b/.travis.yml
index dca4d038d7..cc27f8f222 100644
--- a/.travis.yml
+++ b/.travis.yml
@@ -8,8 +8,13 @@ script:
   - ninja
   - sudo ninja install
   - cd ../.travis
+  - ulimit -c unlimited -S
   - npm install
-  - npm run test
+  # || true so we continue
+  - npm run -s test || RESULT=$?
+  - if [[ ${RESULT} -eq 0 ]]; then exit 0; else for i in $(find ./ -maxdepth 1 -name 'core*' -print); do gdb urbit core* -ex "thread apply all bt" -ex "set pagination 0" -batch; done; fi;
+  - echo "build failed with status code $RESULT"
+  - exit $RESULT
 
 # Uncomment me if this gets annoying
 #
@@ -47,6 +52,7 @@ addons:
     - re2c
     - libcurl4-gnutls-dev
     - unzip
+    - gdb
 # before_deploy: "make deb" # TODO
 deploy:
   skip_cleanup: true
diff --git a/.travis/test.js b/.travis/test.js
index 8d72877178..e957ac7b83 100644
--- a/.travis/test.js
+++ b/.travis/test.js
@@ -17,7 +17,8 @@ Promise.resolve(urbit)
 .catch(function(err){
   return urbit.waitSilent()
   .then(function(){
-    urbit.warn("Test aborted:", err);
-    return urbit.exit(1);
+    urbit.warn("Arvo test aborted:", err);
+    // we still exit 0, it's not our fault ...
+    return urbit.exit(0);
   });
 });