diff --git a/base/loading.jl b/base/loading.jl
index ae54ba19038e9..26acc0c75df9f 100644
--- a/base/loading.jl
+++ b/base/loading.jl
@@ -1585,9 +1585,14 @@ function run_extension_callbacks(extid::ExtensionId)
         true
     catch
         # Try to continue loading if loading an extension errors
-        errs = current_exceptions()
-        @error "Error during loading of extension $(extid.id.name) of $(extid.parentid.name), \
+        if JLOptions().incremental != 0
+            # during incremental precompilation, this should be fail-fast
+            rethrow()
+        else
+            errs = current_exceptions()
+            @error "Error during loading of extension $(extid.id.name) of $(extid.parentid.name), \
                 use `Base.retry_load_extensions()` to retry." exception=errs
+        end
         false
     finally
         global loading_extension = false