diff --git a/source/bind/python/tests/conftest.py b/source/bind/python/tests/conftest.py
index 7dcc1a7..3d9dc86 100644
--- a/source/bind/python/tests/conftest.py
+++ b/source/bind/python/tests/conftest.py
@@ -1,3 +1,4 @@
+import os
 import sys
 from pathlib import Path
 
@@ -5,16 +6,26 @@
 
 PROJECT_PYTHON_DIR = Path(__file__).resolve().parents[1]
 
+# In CI, this fixture is exercising a build CI just produced, so an import or
+# init failure is a real failure, not an optional/environment-dependent skip.
+_IN_CI = bool(os.environ.get("CI") or os.environ.get("GITHUB_ACTIONS"))
+
+
+def _skip_or_fail(message):
+    if _IN_CI:
+        pytest.fail(message)
+    pytest.skip(message)
+
 
 @pytest.fixture(scope="session")
 def cea_module():
     try:
         import cea
     except Exception as exc:
-        pytest.skip(f"cea import failed: {exc}")
+        _skip_or_fail(f"cea import failed: {exc}")
     try:
         if hasattr(cea, "is_initialized") and not cea.is_initialized():
-            pytest.skip("cea database not initialized")
+            _skip_or_fail("cea database not initialized")
     except Exception as exc:
-        pytest.skip(f"cea initialization check failed: {exc}")
+        _skip_or_fail(f"cea initialization check failed: {exc}")
     return cea