diff --git a/hedgehog/src/Hedgehog/Internal/Gen.hs b/hedgehog/src/Hedgehog/Internal/Gen.hs
index 4defdc7a..e0fe6099 100644
--- a/hedgehog/src/Hedgehog/Internal/Gen.hs
+++ b/hedgehog/src/Hedgehog/Internal/Gen.hs
@@ -559,8 +559,8 @@ instance Monad m => Monad (GenT m) where
     Fail.fail
 
 instance Monad m => MonadFail (GenT m) where
-  fail =
-    error
+  fail _ =
+    mzero
 
 instance Monad m => Alternative (GenT m) where
   empty =