diff --git a/cicd_tests/verify-fails.sh b/cicd_tests/verify-fails.sh
index ac6f91cffee98391d0ed1a03f3c6312fb3ea01bd..4eb13f0e73febe66e9ca0fa137bdcd0bad67b675 100755
--- a/cicd_tests/verify-fails.sh
+++ b/cicd_tests/verify-fails.sh
@@ -8,21 +8,9 @@ source set_env_vars
 cd $PEASOUP_HOME/tests
 make clean
 
-# these tests must fail
-
-# verify ls failure
+# verify "fail" configuration
 ./test_cmds.sh -l -c fail -a ls
-if [ $? -eq 0 ]; then
-	echo "Error: expected ls failure"
-	exit 1
-fi
-
-# verify grep failure
 ./test_cmds.sh -l -c fail -a grep
-if [ $? -eq 0 ]; then
-	echo "Error: expected grep failure"
-	exit 1
-fi
 
 exit 0
 
diff --git a/tests/test_cmds.sh b/tests/test_cmds.sh
index b6325bc02dc26198d86673c823f2471643733d21..84fd9c9edd0ab6619a374f34a04879ff00b7a680 100755
--- a/tests/test_cmds.sh
+++ b/tests/test_cmds.sh
@@ -218,7 +218,9 @@ do_tests()
 	done
 
 	if [[ $progs_fail != "" ]] || [[ $progs_fail_peasoup != "" ]]; then
-		had_fails=1
+		if [[ $config != "fail" ]]; then
+			had_fails=1
+		fi
 	fi
 }