diff --git a/src/config.def b/src/config.def
index e7ef2ffd..8b6fac2b 100644
--- a/src/config.def
+++ b/src/config.def
@@ -99,5 +99,6 @@ OPTION(std::string, perfetto_trace_dest, "clvk.perfetto-trace")
 //
 #if CLVK_UNIT_TESTING_ENABLED
 OPTION(bool, force_descriptor_set_allocation_failure, false)
+OPTION(bool, force_check_capabilities_error, false)
 OPTION(bool, early_flush_enabled, true)
 #endif
diff --git a/src/program.cpp b/src/program.cpp
index da372602..4f2c6d27 100644
--- a/src/program.cpp
+++ b/src/program.cpp
@@ -1492,7 +1492,7 @@ void cvk_program::prepare_push_constant_range() {
                              max_offset + max_offset_size};
 }
 
-bool cvk_program::check_capabilities(const cvk_device* device) const {
+bool cvk_program::check_capabilities(const cvk_device* device) {
     // Get list of required SPIR-V capabilities.
     std::vector<spv::Capability> capabilities;
     if (!m_binary.get_capabilities(capabilities)) {
@@ -1504,10 +1504,16 @@ bool cvk_program::check_capabilities(const cvk_device* device) const {
     for (auto c : capabilities) {
         cvk_info_fn("Program requires SPIR-V capability %d (%s).", c,
                     spirv_capability_to_string(c));
-        if (!device->supports_capability(c)) {
-            // TODO: propagate this message to the build log
-            cvk_error_fn("Device does not support SPIR-V capability %d (%s).",
-                         c, spirv_capability_to_string(c));
+        if (!device->supports_capability(c)
+#ifdef CLVK_UNIT_TESTING_ENABLED
+            || config.force_check_capabilities_error()
+#endif
+        ) {
+            std::stringstream error_message;
+            error_message << "Device does not support SPIR-V capability " << c
+                          << " (" << spirv_capability_to_string(c) << ").";
+            cvk_error_fn("%s", error_message.str().c_str());
+            m_build_log += error_message.str();
             return false;
         }
     }
diff --git a/src/program.hpp b/src/program.hpp
index 75fa824a..20fcc715 100644
--- a/src/program.hpp
+++ b/src/program.hpp
@@ -878,7 +878,7 @@ struct cvk_program : public _cl_program, api_object<object_magic::program> {
 
     /// Check if all of the capabilities required by the SPIR-V module are
     /// supported by `device`.
-    CHECK_RETURN bool check_capabilities(const cvk_device* device) const;
+    CHECK_RETURN bool check_capabilities(const cvk_device* device);
 
     uint32_t m_num_devices;
     cl_uint m_num_input_programs;
diff --git a/tests/api/compiler.cpp b/tests/api/compiler.cpp
index ce4237ec..f7044147 100644
--- a/tests/api/compiler.cpp
+++ b/tests/api/compiler.cpp
@@ -479,3 +479,22 @@ TEST_F(WithContext, SetUnusedSamplerArgWithInvalidObject) {
     cl_int err = clSetKernelArg(kernel, 0, sizeof(cl_sampler), &kern);
     ASSERT_EQ(err, CL_INVALID_SAMPLER);
 }
+
+#if CLVK_UNIT_TESTING_ENABLED
+TEST_F(WithContext, UnsupportedCapabilities) {
+    static const char* source = R"(
+      kernel void foo() {}
+    )";
+
+    auto cfg = CLVK_CONFIG_SCOPED_OVERRIDE(force_check_capabilities_error, bool,
+                                           true, true);
+    auto program = CreateProgram(source);
+    cl_int err =
+        clBuildProgram(program, 1, &gDevice, nullptr, nullptr, nullptr);
+    ASSERT_EQ(err, CL_BUILD_PROGRAM_FAILURE);
+    auto build_log = GetProgramBuildLog(program);
+
+    ASSERT_TRUE(build_log.find("Device does not support SPIR-V capability") !=
+                std::string::npos);
+}
+#endif