diff --git a/t/t1001-read-tree-m-2way.sh b/t/t1001-read-tree-m-2way.sh
index b3e6bd57d0..919f2b3109 100755
--- a/t/t1001-read-tree-m-2way.sh
+++ b/t/t1001-read-tree-m-2way.sh
@@ -100,7 +100,7 @@ test_expect_success \
      git-checkout-cache -u -f -q -a &&
      git-update-cache --add yomin &&
      read_tree_twoway $treeH $treeM &&
-     git-ls-files --stage >4.out || exit
+     git-ls-files --stage >4.out || return 1
      diff -u M.out 4.out >4diff.out
      compare_change 4diff.out expected &&
      check_cache_at yomin clean'
@@ -114,7 +114,7 @@ test_expect_success \
      git-update-cache --add yomin &&
      echo yomin yomin >yomin &&
      read_tree_twoway $treeH $treeM &&
-     git-ls-files --stage >5.out || exit
+     git-ls-files --stage >5.out || return 1
      diff -u M.out 5.out >5diff.out
      compare_change 5diff.out expected &&
      check_cache_at yomin dirty'
@@ -215,7 +215,7 @@ test_expect_success \
      echo nitfol nitfol >nitfol &&
      git-update-cache --add nitfol &&
      read_tree_twoway $treeH $treeM &&
-     git-ls-files --stage >14.out || exit
+     git-ls-files --stage >14.out || return 1
      diff -u M.out 14.out >14diff.out
      compare_change 14diff.out expected &&
      check_cache_at nitfol clean'
@@ -229,7 +229,7 @@ test_expect_success \
      git-update-cache --add nitfol &&
      echo nitfol nitfol nitfol >nitfol &&
      read_tree_twoway $treeH $treeM &&
-     git-ls-files --stage >15.out || exit
+     git-ls-files --stage >15.out || return 1
      diff -u M.out 15.out >15diff.out
      compare_change 15diff.out expected &&
      check_cache_at nitfol dirty'
diff --git a/t/t1002-read-tree-m-u-2way.sh b/t/t1002-read-tree-m-u-2way.sh
index 2f1ee79698..512d8977a2 100755
--- a/t/t1002-read-tree-m-u-2way.sh
+++ b/t/t1002-read-tree-m-u-2way.sh
@@ -73,7 +73,7 @@ test_expect_success \
     'rm -f .git/index &&
      git-update-cache --add yomin &&
      git-read-tree -m -u $treeH $treeM &&
-     git-ls-files --stage >4.out || exit
+     git-ls-files --stage >4.out || return 1
      diff --unified=0 M.out 4.out >4diff.out
      compare_change 4diff.out expected &&
      check_cache_at yomin clean &&
@@ -90,7 +90,7 @@ test_expect_success \
      git-update-cache --add yomin &&
      echo yomin yomin >yomin &&
      git-read-tree -m -u $treeH $treeM &&
-     git-ls-files --stage >5.out || exit
+     git-ls-files --stage >5.out || return 1
      diff --unified=0 M.out 5.out >5diff.out
      compare_change 5diff.out expected &&
      check_cache_at yomin dirty &&
@@ -192,7 +192,7 @@ test_expect_success \
      echo nitfol nitfol >nitfol &&
      git-update-cache --add nitfol &&
      git-read-tree -m -u $treeH $treeM &&
-     git-ls-files --stage >14.out || exit
+     git-ls-files --stage >14.out || return 1
      diff --unified=0 M.out 14.out >14diff.out
      compare_change 14diff.out expected &&
      sum bozbar frotz >actual14.sum &&
@@ -212,7 +212,7 @@ test_expect_success \
      git-update-cache --add nitfol &&
      echo nitfol nitfol nitfol >nitfol &&
      git-read-tree -m -u $treeH $treeM &&
-     git-ls-files --stage >15.out || exit
+     git-ls-files --stage >15.out || return 1
      diff --unified=0 M.out 15.out >15diff.out
      compare_change 15diff.out expected &&
      check_cache_at nitfol dirty &&
diff --git a/t/t1005-read-tree-m-2way-emu23.sh b/t/t1005-read-tree-m-2way-emu23.sh
index d80752ddd5..9227254fce 100755
--- a/t/t1005-read-tree-m-2way-emu23.sh
+++ b/t/t1005-read-tree-m-2way-emu23.sh
@@ -120,7 +120,7 @@ test_expect_success \
      git-checkout-cache -u -f -q -a &&
      git-update-cache --add yomin &&
      read_tree_twoway $treeH $treeM &&
-     git-ls-files --stage >4.out || exit
+     git-ls-files --stage >4.out || return 1
      diff -u M.out 4.out >4diff.out
      compare_change 4diff.out expected &&
      check_cache_at yomin clean'
@@ -136,7 +136,7 @@ test_expect_success \
      git-update-cache --add yomin &&
      echo yomin yomin >yomin &&
      read_tree_twoway $treeH $treeM &&
-     git-ls-files --stage >5.out || exit
+     git-ls-files --stage >5.out || return 1
      diff -u M.out 5.out >5diff.out
      compare_change 5diff.out expected &&
      check_cache_at yomin dirty'
@@ -241,7 +241,7 @@ test_expect_success \
      echo nitfol nitfol >nitfol &&
      git-update-cache --add nitfol &&
      read_tree_twoway $treeH $treeM &&
-     git-ls-files --stage >14.out || exit
+     git-ls-files --stage >14.out || return 1
      diff -u M.out 14.out >14diff.out
      compare_change 14diff.out expected &&
      check_cache_at nitfol clean'
@@ -255,7 +255,7 @@ test_expect_success \
      git-update-cache --add nitfol &&
      echo nitfol nitfol nitfol >nitfol &&
      read_tree_twoway $treeH $treeM &&
-     git-ls-files --stage >15.out || exit
+     git-ls-files --stage >15.out || return 1
      diff -u M.out 15.out >15diff.out
      compare_change 15diff.out expected &&
      check_cache_at nitfol dirty'
@@ -352,7 +352,7 @@ test_expect_success \
      sed -e "s/such as/SUCH AS/" bozbar-old >bozbar &&
      git-update-cache --add bozbar &&
      read_tree_twoway $treeH $treeM &&
-     git-ls-files --stage >22.out || exit
+     git-ls-files --stage >22.out || return 1
      diff -u M.out 22.out >22diff.out
      compare_change 22diff.out &&
      check_cache_at bozbar clean'
diff --git a/t/t4002-diff-basic.sh b/t/t4002-diff-basic.sh
index 03fc4b9830..2ec2961189 100755
--- a/t/t4002-diff-basic.sh
+++ b/t/t4002-diff-basic.sh
@@ -191,7 +191,7 @@ test_expect_success \
     'rm -fr Z [A-Z][A-Z] &&
      git-read-tree $tree_A &&
      git-checkout-cache -f -a &&
-     git-read-tree -m $tree_O || (exit 1)
+     git-read-tree -m $tree_O || return 1
      git-update-cache --refresh >/dev/null ;# this can exit non-zero
      git-diff-files >.test-a &&
      cmp_diff_files_output .test-a .test-recursive-OA'
@@ -201,7 +201,7 @@ test_expect_success \
     'rm -fr Z [A-Z][A-Z] &&
      git-read-tree $tree_B &&
      git-checkout-cache -f -a &&
-     git-read-tree -m $tree_O || (exit 1)
+     git-read-tree -m $tree_O || return 1
      git-update-cache --refresh >/dev/null ;# this can exit non-zero
      git-diff-files >.test-a &&
      cmp_diff_files_output .test-a .test-recursive-OB'
@@ -211,7 +211,7 @@ test_expect_success \
     'rm -fr Z [A-Z][A-Z] &&
      git-read-tree $tree_B &&
      git-checkout-cache -f -a &&
-     git-read-tree -m $tree_A || (exit 1)
+     git-read-tree -m $tree_A || return 1
      git-update-cache --refresh >/dev/null ;# this can exit non-zero
      git-diff-files >.test-a &&
      cmp_diff_files_output .test-a .test-recursive-AB'
diff --git a/t/t5300-pack-object.sh b/t/t5300-pack-object.sh
index b0b9329573..03951242d3 100755
--- a/t/t5300-pack-object.sh
+++ b/t/t5300-pack-object.sh
@@ -16,7 +16,7 @@ test_expect_success \
      for i in a b c
      do
 	     dd if=/dev/zero bs=4k count=1 | tr "\\0" $i >$i &&
-	     git-update-cache --add $i || exit
+	     git-update-cache --add $i || return 1
      done &&
      cat c >d && echo foo >>d && git-update-cache --add d &&
      tree=`git-write-tree` &&
@@ -29,7 +29,7 @@ test_expect_success \
 	 while read object
 	 do
 	    t=`git-cat-file -t $object` &&
-	    git-cat-file $t $object || exit 1
+	    git-cat-file $t $object || return 1
 	 done <obj-list
      } >expect'
 
@@ -58,7 +58,7 @@ test_expect_success \
      do
          cmp $path ../.git/$path || {
 	     echo $path differs.
-	     exit 1
+	     return 1
 	 }
      done'
 cd $TRASH
@@ -88,7 +88,7 @@ test_expect_success \
      do
          cmp $path ../.git/$path || {
 	     echo $path differs.
-	     exit 1
+	     return 1
 	 }
      done'
 cd $TRASH
@@ -106,7 +106,7 @@ test_expect_success \
 	 while read object
 	 do
 	    t=`git-cat-file -t $object` &&
-	    git-cat-file $t $object || exit 1
+	    git-cat-file $t $object || return 1
 	 done <obj-list
     } >current &&
     diff expect current'
@@ -122,7 +122,7 @@ test_expect_success \
 	 while read object
 	 do
 	    t=`git-cat-file -t $object` &&
-	    git-cat-file $t $object || exit 1
+	    git-cat-file $t $object || return 1
 	 done <obj-list
     } >current &&
     diff expect current'
diff --git a/t/t5400-send-pack.sh b/t/t5400-send-pack.sh
index a362c6ebe0..2c142dfeb0 100755
--- a/t/t5400-send-pack.sh
+++ b/t/t5400-send-pack.sh
@@ -18,7 +18,7 @@ test_expect_success setup '
 	do
 	    sleep 1 &&
 	    commit=$(echo "Commit #$i" | git-commit-tree $tree -p $parent) &&
-	    parent=$commit || exit
+	    parent=$commit || return 1
 	done &&
 	echo "$commit" >.git/HEAD &&
 	git clone -l ./. victim &&
@@ -31,7 +31,7 @@ test_expect_success setup '
 	do
 	    sleep 1 &&
 	    commit=$(echo "Rebase #$i" | git-commit-tree $tree -p $parent) &&
-	    parent=$commit || exit
+	    parent=$commit || return 1
 	done &&
 	echo "$commit" >.git/HEAD &&
 	echo Rebase &&
diff --git a/t/test-lib.sh b/t/test-lib.sh
index 5cdd41dd93..abcf90323e 100755
--- a/t/test-lib.sh
+++ b/t/test-lib.sh
@@ -63,6 +63,7 @@ do
 	esac
 done
 
+exec 5>&1
 if test "$verbose" = "t"
 then
 	exec 4>&2 3>&1
@@ -96,15 +97,24 @@ test_debug () {
 	test "$debug" = "" || eval "$1"
 }
 
+test_run_ () {
+	trap 'echo >&5 "FATAL: Unexpected exit with code $?"; exit 1' exit
+	eval >&3 2>&4 "$1"
+	eval_ret="$?"
+	trap - exit
+	return 0
+}
+
 test_expect_failure () {
 	test "$#" = 2 ||
 	error "bug in the test script: not 2 parameters to test-expect-failure"
 	say >&3 "expecting failure: $2"
-	if eval >&3 2>&4 "$2"
+	test_run_ "$2"
+	if [ "$?" = 0 -a "$eval_ret" != 0 ]
 	then
-		test_failure_ "$@"
-	else
 		test_ok_ "$1"
+	else
+		test_failure_ "$@"
 	fi
 }
 
@@ -112,7 +122,8 @@ test_expect_success () {
 	test "$#" = 2 ||
 	error "bug in the test script: not 2 parameters to test-expect-success"
 	say >&3 "expecting success: $2"
-	if eval >&3 2>&4 "$2"
+	test_run_ "$2"
+	if [ "$?" = 0 -a "$eval_ret" = 0 ]
 	then
 		test_ok_ "$1"
 	else