diff --git a/hspec-core.cabal b/hspec-core.cabal
--- a/hspec-core.cabal
+++ b/hspec-core.cabal
@@ -5,7 +5,7 @@
 -- see: https://github.com/sol/hpack
 
 name:             hspec-core
-version:          2.10.0
+version:          2.10.0.1
 license:          MIT
 license-file:     LICENSE
 copyright:        (c) 2011-2022 Simon Hengel,
diff --git a/src/Test/Hspec/Core/Hooks.hs b/src/Test/Hspec/Core/Hooks.hs
--- a/src/Test/Hspec/Core/Hooks.hs
+++ b/src/Test/Hspec/Core/Hooks.hs
@@ -173,11 +173,13 @@
 
     release :: IO ()
     release = do
-      signal doCleanupNow
-      r <- takeMVar released
-      case r of
-        Released -> return ()
-        ExceptionDuringRelease err -> throwIO err
+      acquireHasNotBeenCalled <- isEmptyMVar acquired -- NOTE: This can happen if an outer beforeAll fails
+      unless acquireHasNotBeenCalled $ do
+        signal doCleanupNow
+        r <- takeMVar released
+        case r of
+          Released -> return ()
+          ExceptionDuringRelease err -> throwIO err
 
   return (acquire, release)
 
diff --git a/test/Test/Hspec/Core/HooksSpec.hs b/test/Test/Hspec/Core/HooksSpec.hs
--- a/test/Test/Hspec/Core/HooksSpec.hs
+++ b/test/Test/Hspec/Core/HooksSpec.hs
@@ -504,6 +504,36 @@
         , "after"
         ]
 
+    it "wrap actions around a spec in order" $ do
+      (rec, retrieve) <- mkAppend
+      let action i inner = rec ("before " <> i) *> inner <* rec ("after " <> i)
+      evalSpec_ $ H.aroundAll_ (action "1") $ H.aroundAll_ (action "2") $ do
+        H.it "foo" $ rec "foo"
+        H.it "bar" $ rec "bar"
+      retrieve `shouldReturn` [
+          "before 1"
+        , "before 2"
+        , "foo"
+        , "bar"
+        , "after 2"
+        , "after 1"
+        ]
+
+    it "does not call actions wrapped around a failing action" $ do
+      (rec, retrieve) <- mkAppend
+      let action i inner = rec ("before " <> i) *> inner <* rec ("after " <> i)
+      evalSpec_ $
+        H.aroundAll_ (action "1") $
+          H.aroundAll_ (action "2 failing" . const throwException) $
+            H.aroundAll_ (action "3") $ do
+              H.it "foo" $ rec "foo"
+              H.it "bar" $ rec "bar"
+      retrieve `shouldReturn` [
+          "before 1"
+        , "before 2 failing"
+        , "after 1"
+        ]
+
     it "does not memoize subject" $ do
       mock <- newMock
       let action :: IO Int
@@ -557,6 +587,36 @@
         ]
       mockCounter mock `shouldReturn` 3
 
+    it "wrap actions around a spec in order" $ do
+      (rec, retrieve) <- mkAppend
+      let action i inner a = rec ("before " <> i) *> inner a <* rec ("after " <> i)
+      evalSpec_ $ H.aroundAllWith (action "1") $ H.aroundAllWith (action "2") $ do
+        H.it "foo" $ rec "foo"
+        H.it "bar" $ rec "bar"
+      retrieve `shouldReturn` [
+          "before 1"
+        , "before 2"
+        , "foo"
+        , "bar"
+        , "after 2"
+        , "after 1"
+        ]
+
+    it "does not call actions wrapped around a failing action" $ do
+      (rec, retrieve) <- mkAppend
+      let action i inner a = rec ("before " <> i) *> inner a <* rec ("after " <> i)
+      evalSpec_ $
+        H.aroundAllWith (action "1") $
+          H.aroundAllWith (action "2 failing" . const . const throwException) $
+            H.aroundAllWith (action "3") $ do
+              H.it "foo" $ rec "foo"
+              H.it "bar" $ rec "bar"
+      retrieve `shouldReturn` [
+          "before 1"
+        , "before 2 failing"
+        , "after 1"
+        ]
+
     it "reports exceptions on acquire" $ do
       evalSpec $ do
         H.aroundAllWith (\ action () -> throwException >>= action) $ do
@@ -578,9 +638,15 @@
   describe "decompose" $ do
     it "decomposes a with-style action into acquire / release" $ do
       (acquire, release) <- H.decompose $ \ action x -> do
-        action (x + 42)
-      acquire 23 `shouldReturn` (65 :: Int)
+        action (x + 42 :: Int)
+      acquire 23 `shouldReturn` 65
       release
+
+    context "when release is called before acquire" $ do
+      it "does nothing" $ do
+        (_, release) <- H.decompose $ \ action x -> do
+          action (x + 42 :: Int)
+        release
 
     context "with an exception during resource acquisition" $ do
       it "propagates that exception" $ do
diff --git a/version.yaml b/version.yaml
--- a/version.yaml
+++ b/version.yaml
@@ -1,1 +1,1 @@
-&version 2.10.0
+&version 2.10.0.1