diff --git a/nvm.sh b/nvm.sh
index d0259fcb..7ca5d6ec 100755
--- a/nvm.sh
+++ b/nvm.sh
@@ -1812,9 +1812,7 @@ nvm_alias() {
     nvm_err 'An alias is required.'
     return 1
   fi
-  if ! ALIAS="$(nvm_normalize_lts "${ALIAS}")"; then
-    return $?
-  fi
+  ALIAS="$(nvm_normalize_lts "${ALIAS}")" || return $?
 
   if [ -z "${ALIAS}" ]; then
     return 2
@@ -2336,9 +2334,7 @@ $VERSION_LIST
 EOF
 
   if [ -n "${LTS-}" ]; then
-    if ! LTS="$(nvm_normalize_lts "lts/${LTS}")"; then
-      return $?
-    fi
+    LTS="$(nvm_normalize_lts "lts/${LTS}")" || return $?
     LTS="${LTS#lts/}"
   fi
 
@@ -5102,8 +5098,8 @@ nvm() {
         fi
         return 3
       # an exact, already-installed version needs no further resolution or checks
-      elif [ "${NVM_USE_EXACT_INSTALLED}" -ne 1 ] && ! nvm_ensure_version_installed "${VERSION}" "${IS_VERSION_FROM_NVMRC}"; then
-        return $?
+      elif [ "${NVM_USE_EXACT_INSTALLED}" -ne 1 ]; then
+        nvm_ensure_version_installed "${VERSION}" "${IS_VERSION_FROM_NVMRC}" || return $?
       fi
 
       local NVM_VERSION_DIR
diff --git a/test/fast/Unit tests/failed checks propagate their exit codes b/test/fast/Unit tests/failed checks propagate their exit codes
new file mode 100755
index 00000000..3a370bf5
--- /dev/null
+++ b/test/fast/Unit tests/failed checks propagate their exit codes	
@@ -0,0 +1,43 @@
+#!/bin/sh
+
+ORIG_NVM_DIR="${NVM_DIR}"
+TMP_DIR=''
+
+cleanup () {
+  case "${TMP_DIR}" in
+    /*) rm -rf "${TMP_DIR}" ;;
+  esac
+  NVM_DIR="${ORIG_NVM_DIR}"
+  export NVM_DIR
+  unset -f nvm_download
+}
+
+die () { echo "$@" ; cleanup ; exit 1; }
+
+: nvm.sh
+\. ../../../nvm.sh
+
+TMP_DIR="$(mktemp -d)"
+NVM_DIR="${TMP_DIR}/nvm"
+export NVM_DIR
+mkdir -p "${NVM_DIR}/alias/lts" || die 'could not create alias dir'
+
+nvm_alias lts/FOO >/dev/null 2>&1
+EXIT_CODE=$?
+[ "${EXIT_CODE}" = 3 ] || die "nvm_alias lts/FOO should exit 3, like nvm_normalize_lts; got ${EXIT_CODE}"
+
+nvm_download() {
+  printf 'version\tdate\tfiles\tnpm\tv8\tuv\tzlib\topenssl\tmodules\tlts\tsecurity\n'
+  printf 'v22.11.0\t2024-10-29\tsrc\t-\t-\t-\t-\t-\t-\tJod\t-\n'
+}
+(NVM_LTS=FOO nvm_ls_remote_index_tab node std '') >/dev/null 2>&1
+EXIT_CODE=$?
+[ "${EXIT_CODE}" = 3 ] || die "nvm_ls_remote_index_tab with an uppercase LTS name should exit 3, like nvm_normalize_lts; got ${EXIT_CODE}"
+
+# a version directory without an executable node is not installed
+mkdir -p "${NVM_DIR}/versions/node/v20.0.0/bin" || die 'could not create a broken install'
+nvm use 20 >/dev/null 2>&1
+EXIT_CODE=$?
+[ "${EXIT_CODE}" != 0 ] || die 'nvm use 20 should fail when v20.0.0 is not actually installed'
+
+cleanup