diff --git a/lib/internal/test_runner/test.js b/lib/internal/test_runner/test.js
index 8e189b62cad817..d62421f7b42e15 100644
--- a/lib/internal/test_runner/test.js
+++ b/lib/internal/test_runner/test.js
@@ -647,7 +647,7 @@ class Test extends AsyncResource {
     this.expectedAssertions = plan;
     this.cancelled = false;
     this.skipped = skip !== undefined && skip !== false;
-    this.isTodo = todo !== undefined && todo !== false;
+    this.isTodo = (todo !== undefined && todo !== false) || this.parent?.isTodo;
     this.startTime = null;
     this.endTime = null;
     this.passed = false;
diff --git a/test/fixtures/test-runner/output/name_pattern.snapshot b/test/fixtures/test-runner/output/name_pattern.snapshot
index e965b470730488..80f310ad268eac 100644
--- a/test/fixtures/test-runner/output/name_pattern.snapshot
+++ b/test/fixtures/test-runner/output/name_pattern.snapshot
@@ -146,20 +146,20 @@ ok 9 - no
   ...
 # Subtest: no with todo
     # Subtest: yes
-    ok 1 - yes
+    ok 1 - yes # TODO
       ---
       duration_ms: *
       type: 'test'
       ...
     # Subtest: maybe
         # Subtest: yes
-        ok 1 - yes
+        ok 1 - yes # TODO
           ---
           duration_ms: *
           type: 'test'
           ...
         1..1
-    ok 2 - maybe
+    ok 2 - maybe # TODO
       ---
       duration_ms: *
       type: 'suite'
@@ -193,9 +193,9 @@ ok 11 - DescribeForMatchWithAncestors
 1..11
 # tests 18
 # suites 12
-# pass 16
+# pass 14
 # fail 0
 # cancelled 0
 # skipped 2
-# todo 0
+# todo 2
 # duration_ms *
diff --git a/test/fixtures/test-runner/todo_exit_code.js b/test/fixtures/test-runner/todo_exit_code.js
index 6577eefe52f7dc..77f519058e9760 100644
--- a/test/fixtures/test-runner/todo_exit_code.js
+++ b/test/fixtures/test-runner/todo_exit_code.js
@@ -13,3 +13,9 @@ test.todo('should fail without effecting exit code', () => {
 test('empty string todo', { todo: '' }, () => {
   throw new Error('Fail but not badly')
 });
+
+describe.todo('should inherit todo', () => {
+  test('should fail without harming suite', () => {
+    throw new Error('Fail but not badly');
+  });
+});
diff --git a/test/parallel/test-runner-exit-code.js b/test/parallel/test-runner-exit-code.js
index d2f0251e5fb30c..792c5f1717bd60 100644
--- a/test/parallel/test-runner-exit-code.js
+++ b/test/parallel/test-runner-exit-code.js
@@ -58,10 +58,10 @@ if (process.argv[2] === 'child') {
   assert.strictEqual(child.status, 0);
   assert.strictEqual(child.signal, null);
   const stdout = child.stdout.toString();
-  assert.match(stdout, /tests 3/);
+  assert.match(stdout, /tests 4/);
   assert.match(stdout, /pass 0/);
   assert.match(stdout, /fail 0/);
-  assert.match(stdout, /todo 3/);
+  assert.match(stdout, /todo 4/);
 
   child = spawnSync(process.execPath, [__filename, 'child', 'fail']);
   assert.strictEqual(child.status, 1);