diff --git a/scripts/deploy b/scripts/deploy
index de1ede02b..696629a34 100755
--- a/scripts/deploy
+++ b/scripts/deploy
@@ -14,6 +14,7 @@ usage() {
   echo "- --dry-run: show what would be done without actually doing it"
   echo "- --pre: alias for --action copy --variant all all"
   echo "- --reboot: reboot the target machine after deploying (if deployed with no errors)"
+  echo "- --reboot-force: reboot the target machine after deploying (even on error)"
   echo "- --variant light|min|''|all  (default: '')"
   echo "- --wireguard always|never|opportunistic: deploy over wireguard"
   echo "- --ip <address>: deploy to the specific IP address"
@@ -39,6 +40,7 @@ variants=()
 defaultVariant=
 nixArgs=()
 doReboot=
+doRebootForce=
 dryRun=
 wireguard=opportunistic
 storePath=
@@ -90,6 +92,10 @@ parseArgs() {
       (--reboot)
         doReboot=1
         ;;
+      (--reboot-force)
+        doReboot=1
+        doRebootForce=1
+        ;;
       (--variant)
         addVariant "$1"
         shift
@@ -211,11 +217,13 @@ deployOneHost() {
   if [ -n "$action" ] && [ "$action" != "copy" ]; then
     info "activating profile... "
     destructive runOnTarget "$netHost" sudo nix-env -p /nix/var/nix/profiles/system --set "$myStorePath" || return 1
-    destructive runOnTarget "$netHost" sudo "$myStorePath/bin/switch-to-configuration" "$action" || return 1
-    if [ -n "$doReboot" ]; then
+    destructive runOnTarget "$netHost" sudo "$myStorePath/bin/switch-to-configuration" "$action"
+    local rc=$?
+    if [[ -n "$doReboot" && ("$rc" -eq 0 || -n "$doRebootForce") ]]; then
       info "rebooting $host"
-      destructive runOnTarget "$netHost" sane-reboot "$host"
+      destructive runOnTarget "$netHost" sane-reboot "$host" || return 1
     fi
+    return $rc
   fi
 }