diff --git a/tests/fate.sh b/tests/fate.sh
index f3712911eb..38458c748c 100755
--- a/tests/fate.sh
+++ b/tests/fate.sh
@@ -111,8 +111,8 @@ echo ${version} >version-$slot
 rm -rf "${build}" *.log
 mkdir -p ${build}
 
-configure >configure.log 2>&1 || fail $? "error configuring"
-compile   >compile.log   2>&1 || fail $? "error compiling"
-fate      >test.log      2>&1 || fail $? "error testing"
+configure >configure.log 2>&1 || fail 3 "error configuring"
+compile   >compile.log   2>&1 || fail 2 "error compiling"
+fate      >test.log      2>&1 || fail 1 "error testing"
 report 0 success
 clean