diff --git a/etc/asma-test.sh b/etc/asma-test.sh
index 8666738..e71ab4f 100755
--- a/etc/asma-test.sh
+++ b/etc/asma-test.sh
@@ -22,7 +22,8 @@ EOD
 
 expect_failure() {
 	cat > 'in.tal'
-	if ../bin/uxncli asma.rom > asma.log 2>/dev/null || ! grep -qF "${1}" asma.log; then
+	../bin/uxncli asma.rom > asma.log 2>/dev/null
+	if ! grep -qF "${1}" asma.log; then
 		echo "error: asma didn't report error ${1} in faulty code"
 		tail asma.log
 		exit 1
@@ -44,7 +45,9 @@ find ../projects -type f -name '*.tal' -not -name 'blank.tal' | sort | while rea
 	xxd "uxnasm-${BN}.rom" > "uxnasm-${BN}.hex"
 
 	cp "${F}" 'in.tal'
-	if ! ../bin/uxncli asma.rom > asma.log; then
+	rm -f 'out.rom'
+	../bin/uxncli asma.rom > asma.log
+	if [ ! -f 'out.rom' ]; then
 		echo "error: asma failed to assemble ${F}, while uxnasm succeeded"
 		tail asma.log
 		exit 1