diff --git a/compiler/src/dotty/tools/backend/jvm/BCodeSkelBuilder.scala b/compiler/src/dotty/tools/backend/jvm/BCodeSkelBuilder.scala
index 43a926001456..f67cd84ecdd0 100644
--- a/compiler/src/dotty/tools/backend/jvm/BCodeSkelBuilder.scala
+++ b/compiler/src/dotty/tools/backend/jvm/BCodeSkelBuilder.scala
@@ -206,7 +206,7 @@ trait BCodeSkelBuilder extends BCodeHelpers {
       val optSerial: Option[Long] =
         claszSymbol.getAnnotation(defn.SerialVersionUIDAnnot).flatMap { annot =>
           if (claszSymbol.is(Trait)) {
-            report.error("@SerialVersionUID does nothing on a trait", annot.tree.sourcePos)
+            report.warning("@SerialVersionUID does nothing on a trait", annot.tree.sourcePos)
             None
           } else {
             val vuid = annot.argumentConstant(0).map(_.longValue)
diff --git a/tests/neg/i8427.scala b/tests/neg-custom-args/fatal-warnings/i8427.scala
similarity index 100%
rename from tests/neg/i8427.scala
rename to tests/neg-custom-args/fatal-warnings/i8427.scala