diff --git a/changelog/5634.bugfix.rst b/changelog/5634.bugfix.rst
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..f4699919bcb
--- /dev/null
+++ b/changelog/5634.bugfix.rst
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+``pytest.exit`` and ``bdb.BdbQuit`` are now correctly handled in ``unittest`` cases.
diff --git a/src/_pytest/unittest.py b/src/_pytest/unittest.py
index 3ff6f45d8db..3ca9d3eb591 100644
--- a/src/_pytest/unittest.py
+++ b/src/_pytest/unittest.py
@@ -11,6 +11,7 @@
 import pytest
 from _pytest.compat import getimfunc
 from _pytest.config import hookimpl
+from _pytest.outcomes import exit
 from _pytest.outcomes import fail
 from _pytest.outcomes import skip
 from _pytest.outcomes import xfail
@@ -172,6 +173,11 @@ def _addexcinfo(self, rawexcinfo):
         self.__dict__.setdefault("_excinfo", []).append(excinfo)
 
     def addError(self, testcase, rawexcinfo):
+        try:
+            if isinstance(rawexcinfo[1], exit.Exception):
+                exit(rawexcinfo[1].msg)
+        except TypeError:
+            pass
         self._addexcinfo(rawexcinfo)
 
     def addFailure(self, testcase, rawexcinfo):
diff --git a/testing/test_unittest.py b/testing/test_unittest.py
index e9982b3d5b9..d40dbed71c3 100644
--- a/testing/test_unittest.py
+++ b/testing/test_unittest.py
@@ -1065,3 +1065,39 @@ def test_setup_inheritance_skipping(testdir, test_name, expected_outcome):
     testdir.copy_example("unittest/{}".format(test_name))
     result = testdir.runpytest()
     result.stdout.fnmatch_lines(["* {} in *".format(expected_outcome)])
+
+
+def test_BdbQuit(testdir):
+    testdir.makepyfile(
+        test_foo="""
+        import unittest
+
+        class MyTestCase(unittest.TestCase):
+            def test_bdbquit(self):
+                import bdb
+                raise bdb.BdbQuit()
+
+            def test_should_not_run(self):
+                pass
+    """
+    )
+    reprec = testdir.inline_run()
+    reprec.assertoutcome(failed=1, passed=1)
+
+
+def test_exit_outcome(testdir):
+    testdir.makepyfile(
+        test_foo="""
+        import pytest
+        import unittest
+
+        class MyTestCase(unittest.TestCase):
+            def test_exit_outcome(self):
+                pytest.exit("pytest_exit called")
+
+            def test_should_not_run(self):
+                pass
+    """
+    )
+    result = testdir.runpytest()
+    result.stdout.fnmatch_lines("*Exit: pytest_exit called*")