diff --git a/docs/index.md b/docs/index.md
index cc3d9eb2ab..b6614016a3 100644
--- a/docs/index.md
+++ b/docs/index.md
@@ -915,6 +915,10 @@ To ensure your tests aren't leaving messes around, here are some ideas to get st
 - Try something like [wtfnode][npm-wtfnode]
 - Use [`.only`](#exclusive-tests) until you find the test that causes Mocha to hang
 
+### `--pass-on-failing-test-suite`
+
+If set on true, Mocha returns zero code even if there are failed tests during run.
+
 ### `--fail-zero`
 
 > _New in v9.1.0_ Fail test run if no tests are encountered with `exit-code: 1`.
diff --git a/lib/cli/run-helpers.js b/lib/cli/run-helpers.js
index 4ea1a403c8..e31563afbc 100644
--- a/lib/cli/run-helpers.js
+++ b/lib/cli/run-helpers.js
@@ -21,62 +21,49 @@ const {UnmatchedFile} = require('./collect-files');
 
 /**
  * Exits Mocha when tests + code under test has finished execution (default)
- * @param {number} failOnFailingTestSuite - Exit code; typically # of failures
+ * @param {number} code - Exit code; typically # of failures
  * @ignore
  * @private
  */
-const exitMochaLater = failOnFailingTestSuite => {
-  return code => {
-    process.on('exit', () => {
-      if (failOnFailingTestSuite) {
-        process.exitCode = Math.min(code, 255);
-      } else {
-        process.exitCode = 0;
-      }
-    });
-  };
+const exitMochaLater = code => {
+  process.on('exit', () => {
+    process.exitCode = Math.min(code, 255);
+  });
 };
 
 /**
  * Exits Mocha when Mocha itself has finished execution, regardless of
  * what the tests or code under test is doing.
- * @param {number} failOnFailingTestSuite - Exit code; typically # of failures
+ * @param {number} code - Exit code; typically # of failures
  * @ignore
  * @private
  */
-const exitMocha = failOnFailingTestSuite => {
-  return code => {
-    let clampedCode;
-    if (failOnFailingTestSuite) {
-      clampedCode = Math.min(code, 255);
-    } else {
-      clampedCode = 0;
+const exitMocha = code => {
+  const clampedCode = Math.min(code, 255);
+  let draining = 0;
+
+  // Eagerly set the process's exit code in case stream.write doesn't
+  // execute its callback before the process terminates.
+  process.exitCode = clampedCode;
+
+  // flush output for Node.js Windows pipe bug
+  // https://github.com/joyent/node/issues/6247 is just one bug example
+  // https://github.com/visionmedia/mocha/issues/333 has a good discussion
+  const done = () => {
+    if (!draining--) {
+      process.exit(clampedCode);
     }
-    let draining = 0;
-
-    // Eagerly set the process's exit code in case stream.write doesn't
-    // execute its callback before the process terminates.
-    process.exitCode = clampedCode;
-
-    // flush output for Node.js Windows pipe bug
-    // https://github.com/joyent/node/issues/6247 is just one bug example
-    // https://github.com/visionmedia/mocha/issues/333 has a good discussion
-    const done = () => {
-      if (!draining--) {
-        process.exit(clampedCode);
-      }
-    };
+  };
 
-    const streams = [process.stdout, process.stderr];
+  const streams = [process.stdout, process.stderr];
 
-    streams.forEach(stream => {
-      // submit empty write request and wait for completion
-      draining += 1;
-      stream.write('', done);
-    });
+  streams.forEach(stream => {
+    // submit empty write request and wait for completion
+    draining += 1;
+    stream.write('', done);
+  });
 
-    done();
-  };
+  done();
 };
 
 /**
@@ -152,7 +139,7 @@ const handleUnmatchedFiles = (mocha, unmatchedFiles) => {
  * @param {Mocha} mocha - Mocha instance
  * @param {Options} [opts] - Command line options
  * @param {boolean} [opts.exit] - Whether or not to force-exit after tests are complete
- * @param {boolean} [opts.failOnFailingTestSuite] - Whether or not to fail test run if tests were failed
+ * @param {boolean} [opts.passOnFailingTestSuite] - Whether or not to fail test run if tests were failed
  * @param {Object} fileCollectParams - Parameters that control test
  *   file collection. See `lib/cli/collect-files.js`.
  * @returns {Promise<Runner>}
@@ -160,7 +147,7 @@ const handleUnmatchedFiles = (mocha, unmatchedFiles) => {
  */
 const singleRun = async (
   mocha,
-  {exit, failOnFailingTestSuite},
+  {exit, passOnFailingTestSuite},
   fileCollectParams
 ) => {
   const fileCollectionObj = collectFiles(fileCollectParams);
@@ -175,9 +162,7 @@ const singleRun = async (
   // handles ESM modules
   await mocha.loadFilesAsync();
   return mocha.run(
-    exit
-      ? exitMocha(failOnFailingTestSuite)
-      : exitMochaLater(failOnFailingTestSuite)
+    createExitHandler({exit, passOnFailingTestSuite})
   );
 };
 
@@ -209,9 +194,7 @@ const parallelRun = async (mocha, options, fileCollectParams) => {
 
   // note that we DO NOT load any files here; this is handled by the worker
   return mocha.run(
-    options.exit
-      ? exitMocha(options.failOnFailingTestSuite)
-      : exitMochaLater(options.failOnFailingTestSuite)
+    createExitHandler(options)
   );
 };
 
@@ -308,3 +291,15 @@ exports.validateLegacyPlugin = (opts, pluginType, map = {}) => {
     }
   }
 };
+
+const createExitHandler = ({ exit, passOnFailingTestSuite }) => {
+  return code => {
+    const clampedCode = passOnFailingTestSuite
+      ? 0
+      : Math.min(code, 255);
+
+    return exit
+      ? exitMocha(clampedCode)
+      : exitMochaLater(clampedCode);
+  };
+};
diff --git a/lib/cli/run-option-metadata.js b/lib/cli/run-option-metadata.js
index 9084dca581..83aa70dd7a 100644
--- a/lib/cli/run-option-metadata.js
+++ b/lib/cli/run-option-metadata.js
@@ -35,7 +35,7 @@ const TYPES = (exports.types = {
     'diff',
     'dry-run',
     'exit',
-    'fail-on-failing-test-suite',
+    'pass-on-failing-test-suite',
     'fail-zero',
     'forbid-only',
     'forbid-pending',
diff --git a/lib/cli/run.js b/lib/cli/run.js
index fccd89210f..3389e6df6e 100644
--- a/lib/cli/run.js
+++ b/lib/cli/run.js
@@ -98,9 +98,9 @@ exports.builder = yargs =>
         requiresArg: true,
         coerce: list
       },
-      'fail-on-failing-test-suite': {
-        default: true,
-        description: 'Fail test run if tests were failed',
+      'pass-on-failing-test-suite': {
+        default: false,
+        description: 'Not fail test run if tests were failed',
         group: GROUPS.RULES
       },
       'fail-zero': {
diff --git a/lib/mocha.js b/lib/mocha.js
index 6940e22f63..c6ee248561 100644
--- a/lib/mocha.js
+++ b/lib/mocha.js
@@ -157,7 +157,7 @@ exports.run = function (...args) {
  * @param {boolean} [options.delay] - Delay root suite execution?
  * @param {boolean} [options.diff] - Show diff on failure?
  * @param {boolean} [options.dryRun] - Report tests without running them?
- * @param {boolean} [options.failOnFailingTestSuite] - Fail test run if tests were failed?
+ * @param {boolean} [options.passOnFailingTestSuite] - Fail test run if tests were failed?
  * @param {boolean} [options.failZero] - Fail test run if zero tests?
  * @param {string} [options.fgrep] - Test filter given string.
  * @param {boolean} [options.forbidOnly] - Tests marked `only` fail the suite?
@@ -217,7 +217,7 @@ function Mocha(options = {}) {
     'delay',
     'diff',
     'dryRun',
-    'failOnFailingTestSuite',
+    'passOnFailingTestSuite',
     'failZero',
     'forbidOnly',
     'forbidPending',
@@ -876,13 +876,13 @@ Mocha.prototype.failZero = function (failZero) {
  * Fail test run if tests were failed.
  *
  * @public
- * @see [CLI option](../#-fail-on-failing-test-suite)
- * @param {boolean} [failOnFailingTestSuite=true] - Whether to fail test run.
+ * @see [CLI option](../#-pass-on-failing-test-suite)
+ * @param {boolean} [passOnFailingTestSuite=false] - Whether to fail test run.
  * @return {Mocha} this
  * @chainable
  */
-Mocha.prototype.failOnFailingTestSuite = function(failOnFailingTestSuite) {
-  this.options.failOnFailingTestSuite = failOnFailingTestSuite !== false;
+Mocha.prototype.passOnFailingTestSuite = function(passOnFailingTestSuite) {
+  this.options.passOnFailingTestSuite = passOnFailingTestSuite === true;
   return this;
 };
 
diff --git a/test/integration/fixtures/require-undefined.fixture.js b/test/integration/fixtures/failing-sync.fixture.js
similarity index 62%
rename from test/integration/fixtures/require-undefined.fixture.js
rename to test/integration/fixtures/failing-sync.fixture.js
index 3afbeab5ba..f81f9653a7 100644
--- a/test/integration/fixtures/require-undefined.fixture.js
+++ b/test/integration/fixtures/failing-sync.fixture.js
@@ -1,5 +1,3 @@
-// this generic fixture does nothing special and will be used if no fixture is supplied
-
 'use strict';
 
 var assert = require('assert');
diff --git a/test/integration/options/failOnFailingTestSuite.spec.js b/test/integration/options/failOnFailingTestSuite.spec.js
deleted file mode 100644
index 7834ef693b..0000000000
--- a/test/integration/options/failOnFailingTestSuite.spec.js
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,22 +0,0 @@
-'use strict';
-
-var helpers = require('../helpers');
-var runMochaJSON = helpers.runMochaJSON;
-
-describe('--fail-on-failing-test-suite', function() {
-  var args = ['--fail-on-failing-test-suite=false'];
-
-  it('should success', function(done) {
-    var fixture = 'require-undefined.fixture.js';
-    runMochaJSON(fixture, args, function(err, res) {
-      if (err) {
-        return done(err);
-      }
-
-      expect(res, 'to have passed test count', 0)
-        .and('to have test count', 1)
-        .and('to have exit code', 0);
-      done();
-    });
-  });
-});
diff --git a/test/integration/options/passOnFailingTestSuite.spec.js b/test/integration/options/passOnFailingTestSuite.spec.js
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..9f902da72f
--- /dev/null
+++ b/test/integration/options/passOnFailingTestSuite.spec.js
@@ -0,0 +1,40 @@
+'use strict';
+
+var helpers = require('../helpers');
+var runMochaJSON = helpers.runMochaJSON;
+
+describe('Enabled --pass-on-failing-test-suite', function() {
+  var args = ['--pass-on-failing-test-suite=true'];
+
+  it('Test should finish with zero code with disabled option', function(done) {
+    var fixture = 'failing-sync.fixture.js';
+    runMochaJSON(fixture, args, function(err, res) {
+      if (err) {
+        return done(err);
+      }
+
+      expect(res, 'to have passed test count', 0)
+        .and('to have test count', 1)
+        .and('to have exit code', 0);
+      done();
+    });
+  });
+});
+
+describe('Disabled --pass-on-failing-test-suite', function() {
+  var args = ['--pass-on-failing-test-suite=false'];
+
+  it('Test should return non-zero code with enabled option', function(done) {
+    var fixture = 'failing-sync.fixture.js';
+    runMochaJSON(fixture, args, function(err, res) {
+      if (err) {
+        return done(err);
+      }
+
+      expect(res, 'to have passed test count', 0)
+        .and('to have test count', 1)
+        .and('to have exit code', 1);
+      done();
+    });
+  });
+});
diff --git a/test/unit/mocha.spec.js b/test/unit/mocha.spec.js
index 9a768d62d3..e0f603574e 100644
--- a/test/unit/mocha.spec.js
+++ b/test/unit/mocha.spec.js
@@ -376,24 +376,24 @@ describe('Mocha', function () {
       });
     });
 
-    describe('failOnFailingTestSuite()', function() {
-      it('should set the failOnFailingTestSuite option to true', function() {
-        mocha.failOnFailingTestSuite();
+    describe('passOnFailingTestSuite()', function() {
+      it('should set the passOnFailingTestSuite option to false', function() {
+        mocha.passOnFailingTestSuite();
         expect(
           mocha.options,
           'to have property',
-          'failOnFailingTestSuite',
-          true
+          'passOnFailingTestSuite',
+          false
         );
       });
 
-      it('should set the failOnFailingTestSuite option to false', function() {
-        mocha.failOnFailingTestSuite(false);
+      it('should set the passOnFailingTestSuite option to true', function() {
+        mocha.passOnFailingTestSuite(true);
         expect(
           mocha.options,
           'to have property',
-          'failOnFailingTestSuite',
-          false
+          'passOnFailingTestSuite',
+          true
         );
       });
     });