diff --git a/t/t9210-scalar.sh b/t/t9210-scalar.sh
index 25f500cf68..13a4f6dbcf 100755
--- a/t/t9210-scalar.sh
+++ b/t/t9210-scalar.sh
@@ -104,6 +104,13 @@ test_expect_success FSMONITOR_DAEMON 'scalar register starts fsmon daemon' '
 	test_cmp_config -C test/src true core.fsmonitor
 '
 
+test_expect_success 'scalar register fails when background maintenance fails' '
+	git init register-repo &&
+	GIT_TEST_MAINT_SCHEDULER="crontab:false,launchctl:false,schtasks:false" \
+		test_must_fail scalar register register-repo 2>err &&
+	grep "could not turn on maintenance" err
+'
+
 test_expect_success 'scalar unregister' '
 	git init vanish/src &&
 	scalar register vanish/src &&
diff --git a/t/t9211-scalar-clone.sh b/t/t9211-scalar-clone.sh
index 02d32fb6ed..a6156da29a 100755
--- a/t/t9211-scalar-clone.sh
+++ b/t/t9211-scalar-clone.sh
@@ -174,4 +174,10 @@ test_expect_success 'progress without tty' '
 	cleanup_clone $enlistment
 '
 
+test_expect_success 'scalar clone fails when background maintenance fails' '
+	GIT_TEST_MAINT_SCHEDULER="crontab:false,launchctl:false,schtasks:false" \
+		test_must_fail scalar clone "file://$(pwd)/to-clone" maint-fail 2>err &&
+	grep "could not turn on maintenance" err
+'
+
 test_done