diff --git a/compiler/cli/src/org/jetbrains/kotlin/cli/common/messages/AnalyzerWithCompilerReport.kt b/compiler/cli/src/org/jetbrains/kotlin/cli/common/messages/AnalyzerWithCompilerReport.kt
index 16a1e0b5ef1..e8e1795f215 100644
--- a/compiler/cli/src/org/jetbrains/kotlin/cli/common/messages/AnalyzerWithCompilerReport.kt
+++ b/compiler/cli/src/org/jetbrains/kotlin/cli/common/messages/AnalyzerWithCompilerReport.kt
@@ -206,7 +206,7 @@ class AnalyzerWithCompilerReport(
 
             if (hasPrereleaseClasses) {
                 messageCollector.report(
-                    WARNING,
+                    ERROR,
                     "Pre-release classes were found in dependencies. " +
                             "Remove them from the classpath, recompile with a release compiler " +
                             "or use '-Xskip-prerelease-check' to suppress errors"
diff --git a/compiler/testData/compileKotlinAgainstCustomBinaries/releaseCompilerAgainstPreReleaseLibrary/output.fir.txt b/compiler/testData/compileKotlinAgainstCustomBinaries/releaseCompilerAgainstPreReleaseLibrary/output.fir.txt
index f3692a006dc..ed2cce53423 100644
--- a/compiler/testData/compileKotlinAgainstCustomBinaries/releaseCompilerAgainstPreReleaseLibrary/output.fir.txt
+++ b/compiler/testData/compileKotlinAgainstCustomBinaries/releaseCompilerAgainstPreReleaseLibrary/output.fir.txt
@@ -1,3 +1,4 @@
+error: pre-release classes were found in dependencies. Remove them from the classpath, recompile with a release compiler or use '-Xskip-prerelease-check' to suppress errors
 compiler/testData/compileKotlinAgainstCustomBinaries/releaseCompilerAgainstPreReleaseLibrary/source.kt:8:28: error: unresolved reference 'method'.
     val methodCall = param.method()
                            ^^^^^^
diff --git a/compiler/testData/compileKotlinAgainstCustomBinaries/releaseCompilerAgainstPreReleaseLibrary/output.txt b/compiler/testData/compileKotlinAgainstCustomBinaries/releaseCompilerAgainstPreReleaseLibrary/output.txt
index 87961103417..467595f7659 100644
--- a/compiler/testData/compileKotlinAgainstCustomBinaries/releaseCompilerAgainstPreReleaseLibrary/output.txt
+++ b/compiler/testData/compileKotlinAgainstCustomBinaries/releaseCompilerAgainstPreReleaseLibrary/output.txt
@@ -1,3 +1,4 @@
+error: pre-release classes were found in dependencies. Remove them from the classpath, recompile with a release compiler or use '-Xskip-prerelease-check' to suppress errors
 compiler/testData/compileKotlinAgainstCustomBinaries/releaseCompilerAgainstPreReleaseLibrary/source.kt:8:28: error: unresolved reference: method
     val methodCall = param.method()
                            ^^^^^^
diff --git a/compiler/testData/compileKotlinAgainstCustomBinaries/releaseCompilerAgainstPreReleaseLibraryJs/output.fir.txt b/compiler/testData/compileKotlinAgainstCustomBinaries/releaseCompilerAgainstPreReleaseLibraryJs/output.fir.txt
index 6b40d333822..d7fdc7407c7 100644
--- a/compiler/testData/compileKotlinAgainstCustomBinaries/releaseCompilerAgainstPreReleaseLibraryJs/output.fir.txt
+++ b/compiler/testData/compileKotlinAgainstCustomBinaries/releaseCompilerAgainstPreReleaseLibraryJs/output.fir.txt
@@ -1,3 +1,4 @@
+error: pre-release classes were found in dependencies. Remove them from the classpath, recompile with a release compiler or use '-Xskip-prerelease-check' to suppress errors
 compiler/testData/compileKotlinAgainstCustomBinaries/releaseCompilerAgainstPreReleaseLibraryJs/source.kt:8:28: error: unresolved reference 'method'.
     val methodCall = param.method()
                            ^^^^^^
diff --git a/compiler/testData/compileKotlinAgainstCustomBinaries/releaseCompilerAgainstPreReleaseLibraryJs/output.txt b/compiler/testData/compileKotlinAgainstCustomBinaries/releaseCompilerAgainstPreReleaseLibraryJs/output.txt
index 23b37606014..f41160d3b52 100644
--- a/compiler/testData/compileKotlinAgainstCustomBinaries/releaseCompilerAgainstPreReleaseLibraryJs/output.txt
+++ b/compiler/testData/compileKotlinAgainstCustomBinaries/releaseCompilerAgainstPreReleaseLibraryJs/output.txt
@@ -1,3 +1,4 @@
+error: pre-release classes were found in dependencies. Remove them from the classpath, recompile with a release compiler or use '-Xskip-prerelease-check' to suppress errors
 compiler/testData/compileKotlinAgainstCustomBinaries/releaseCompilerAgainstPreReleaseLibraryJs/source.kt:8:28: error: unresolved reference: method
     val methodCall = param.method()
                            ^^^^^^