diff --git a/CHANGELOG.md b/CHANGELOG.md
index fcd5201..7cd3508 100644
--- a/CHANGELOG.md
+++ b/CHANGELOG.md
@@ -10,6 +10,9 @@ this project uses date-based 'snapshot' version identifiers.
 ### Changed
 - Document default value of `ctanpkg` as a valid lua expression
 
+### Fixed
+- Short-circuit `check --rerun` if `testdir` doesn't exist
+
 ## [2023-11-01]
 
 ### Changed
diff --git a/l3build-check.lua b/l3build-check.lua
index 3279f2c..cd6a76f 100644
--- a/l3build-check.lua
+++ b/l3build-check.lua
@@ -926,7 +926,13 @@ end
 function check(names)
   local errorlevel = 0
   if testfiledir ~= "" and direxists(testfiledir) then
-    if not options["rerun"] then
+    if options["rerun"] then
+      if not direxists(testdir) then
+        print("\n  Test directory \"" .. testdir .. "\" doesn't exist.")
+        print("  Try again without \"--rerun\".\n")
+        return 1
+      end
+    else
       errorlevel = checkinit()
       if errorlevel ~= 0 then
         return errorlevel