diff --git a/src/systemcmds/tests/test_file2.c b/src/systemcmds/tests/test_file2.c
index eeb52b9a6c..458bb7809f 100644
--- a/src/systemcmds/tests/test_file2.c
+++ b/src/systemcmds/tests/test_file2.c
@@ -69,7 +69,7 @@ static uint8_t get_value(uint32_t ofs)
 	return u.buf[ofs % 4];
 }
 
-static void test_corruption(const char *filename, uint32_t write_chunk, uint32_t write_size, uint16_t flags)
+static int test_corruption(const char *filename, uint32_t write_chunk, uint32_t write_size, uint16_t flags)
 {
 	printf("Testing on %s with write_chunk=%u write_size=%u\n",
 	       filename, (unsigned)write_chunk, (unsigned)write_size);
@@ -79,7 +79,7 @@ static void test_corruption(const char *filename, uint32_t write_chunk, uint32_t
 
 	if (fd == -1) {
 		perror(filename);
-		exit(1);
+		return 1;
 	}
 
 	// create a file of size write_size, in write_chunk blocks
@@ -95,7 +95,7 @@ static void test_corruption(const char *filename, uint32_t write_chunk, uint32_t
 
 		if (write(fd, buffer, sizeof(buffer)) != (int)sizeof(buffer)) {
 			printf("write failed at offset %u\n", ofs);
-			exit(1);
+			return 1;
 		}
 
 		if (flags & FLAG_FSYNC) {
@@ -118,7 +118,7 @@ static void test_corruption(const char *filename, uint32_t write_chunk, uint32_t
 
 	if (fd == -1) {
 		perror(filename);
-		exit(1);
+		return 1;
 	}
 
 	counter = 0;
@@ -136,14 +136,14 @@ static void test_corruption(const char *filename, uint32_t write_chunk, uint32_t
 		if (read(fd, buffer, sizeof(buffer)) != (int)sizeof(buffer)) {
 			printf("read failed at offset %u\n", ofs);
 			close(fd);
-			return;
+			return 1;
 		}
 
 		for (uint16_t j = 0; j < write_chunk; j++) {
 			if (buffer[j] != get_value(ofs)) {
 				printf("corruption at ofs=%u got %u\n", ofs, buffer[j]);
 				close(fd);
-				return;
+				return 1;
 			}
 
 			ofs++;
@@ -158,6 +158,7 @@ static void test_corruption(const char *filename, uint32_t write_chunk, uint32_t
 	close(fd);
 	unlink(filename);
 	printf("All OK\n");
+	return 0;
 }
 
 static void usage(void)
@@ -221,7 +222,6 @@ int test_file2(int argc, char *argv[])
 		return 1;
 	}
 
-	test_corruption(filename, write_chunk, write_size, flags);
-	return 0;
+	return test_corruption(filename, write_chunk, write_size, flags);
 }
 
diff --git a/src/systemcmds/tests/test_uart_loopback.c b/src/systemcmds/tests/test_uart_loopback.c
index 046d51ecaa..6f97cebb79 100644
--- a/src/systemcmds/tests/test_uart_loopback.c
+++ b/src/systemcmds/tests/test_uart_loopback.c
@@ -82,7 +82,7 @@ int test_uart_loopback(int argc, char *argv[])
 		}
 
 		printf("ERROR opening UART5, aborting..\n");
-		exit(uart5);
+		return 1;
 	}
 
 	uint8_t sample_stdout_fd[] = {'C', 'O', 'U', 'N', 'T', ' ', '#', '\n'};