diff --git a/tests/venv/start/postBuild/README.rst b/tests/venv/start/postBuild/README.rst
index ecfd428e..81b2e86c 100644
--- a/tests/venv/start/postBuild/README.rst
+++ b/tests/venv/start/postBuild/README.rst
@@ -3,3 +3,5 @@ postBuild and start
 
 This test checks that we can use a postBuild and start script
 at the same time.
+
+It also checks that exit on error (set -e) has not leaked into the main shell.
diff --git a/tests/venv/start/postBuild/verify b/tests/venv/start/postBuild/verify
index 5fd16f8d..a8dbc5e3 100755
--- a/tests/venv/start/postBuild/verify
+++ b/tests/venv/start/postBuild/verify
@@ -1,4 +1,9 @@
-#!/bin/bash
+#!/bin/bash -il
+# Run this as an interactive login shell so that the conda profile is sourced
+
+# Test that `set -e` isn't incorrectly set in a profile
+false
+
 set -euo pipefail
 grep 'Done!' $HOME/postbuild.txt
 # set value of TEST_START_VAR to empty string when it is not defined