diff --git a/lib/runner.js b/lib/runner.js
index 374a6143bf..edfcebf141 100644
--- a/lib/runner.js
+++ b/lib/runner.js
@@ -394,10 +394,17 @@ Runner.prototype.hook = function(name, fn) {
               'Use a return statement or other means to abort hook execution.'
           );
         }
-        if (name === HOOK_TYPE_BEFORE_EACH || name === HOOK_TYPE_AFTER_EACH) {
+        if (name === HOOK_TYPE_AFTER_EACH) {
           if (self.test) {
             self.test.pending = true;
           }
+        } else if (name === HOOK_TYPE_BEFORE_EACH) {
+          if (self.test) {
+            self.test.pending = true;
+          }
+          self.emit(constants.EVENT_HOOK_END, hook);
+          hook.pending = false; // activates hook for next test
+          return fn(new Error('abort hookDown'));
         } else {
           suite.tests.forEach(function(test) {
             test.pending = true;
@@ -634,6 +641,7 @@ Runner.prototype.runTests = function(suite, fn) {
     // execute test and hook(s)
     self.emit(constants.EVENT_TEST_BEGIN, (self.test = test));
     self.hookDown(HOOK_TYPE_BEFORE_EACH, function(err, errSuite) {
+      // conditional this.skip() within beforeEach()
       if (test.isPending()) {
         if (self.forbidPending) {
           test.isPending = alwaysFalse;
@@ -643,7 +651,13 @@ Runner.prototype.runTests = function(suite, fn) {
           self.emit(constants.EVENT_TEST_PENDING, test);
         }
         self.emit(constants.EVENT_TEST_END, test);
-        return next();
+        // skip afterEach hooks below errSuite level
+        var origSuite = self.suite;
+        self.suite = errSuite;
+        return self.hookUp(HOOK_TYPE_AFTER_EACH, function() {
+          self.suite = origSuite;
+          next();
+        });
       }
       if (err) {
         return hookErr(err, errSuite, false);
@@ -651,7 +665,7 @@ Runner.prototype.runTests = function(suite, fn) {
       self.currentRunnable = self.test;
       self.runTest(function(err) {
         test = self.test;
-        // conditional this.skip()
+        // conditional this.skip() within it()
         if (test.pending) {
           if (self.forbidPending) {
             test.isPending = alwaysFalse;