diff --git a/bin/tests/system/run.sh.in b/bin/tests/system/run.sh.in
index 4585cd039f..6217160357 100644
--- a/bin/tests/system/run.sh.in
+++ b/bin/tests/system/run.sh.in
@@ -185,10 +185,8 @@ fi
 # Clean up files left from any potential previous runs
 if test -f "$systest/clean.sh"
 then
-    ( cd "${systest}" && $SHELL clean.sh "$@" )
-    ret=$?
-    if [ $ret -ne 0 ]; then
-	echowarn "I:$systest:clean.sh script failed with $ret"
+    if ! ( cd "${systest}" && $SHELL clean.sh "$@" ); then
+	echowarn "I:$systest:clean.sh script failed"
     fi
 
 fi
@@ -196,10 +194,8 @@ fi
 # Set up any dynamically generated test data
 if test -f "$systest/setup.sh"
 then
-    ( cd "${systest}" && $SHELL setup.sh "$@" )
-    ret=$?
-    if [ $ret -ne 0 ]; then
-	echowarn "I:$systest:clean.sh script failed with $ret"
+    if ! ( cd "${systest}" && $SHELL setup.sh "$@" ); then
+	echowarn "I:$systest:clean.sh script failed"
     fi
 fi