diff --git a/tests/hal-link-unlink/test.sh b/tests/hal-link-unlink/test.sh
index af50ee85fdb..b5d62877296 100755
--- a/tests/hal-link-unlink/test.sh
+++ b/tests/hal-link-unlink/test.sh
@@ -3,6 +3,4 @@
 $REALTIME start
 python3 hallink.py
 
-$REALTIME stop
-
-exit $?
+exec $REALTIME stop
diff --git a/tests/halui/shared-test.sh b/tests/halui/shared-test.sh
index 3844190286b..2d0bb0375f1 100755
--- a/tests/halui/shared-test.sh
+++ b/tests/halui/shared-test.sh
@@ -1,5 +1,4 @@
 #!/bin/bash
 
-linuxcnc -r halui.ini
-exit $?
+exec linuxcnc -r halui.ini
 
diff --git a/tests/interp/mdi-oword-m66/test.sh b/tests/interp/mdi-oword-m66/test.sh
index 20aab841a0e..49672c3d6d9 100755
--- a/tests/interp/mdi-oword-m66/test.sh
+++ b/tests/interp/mdi-oword-m66/test.sh
@@ -1,5 +1,3 @@
 #!/bin/bash
 
-linuxcnc -r interp.ini
-exit $?
-
+exec linuxcnc -r interp.ini
diff --git a/tests/interp/oword-mdi-sub-update/test.sh b/tests/interp/oword-mdi-sub-update/test.sh
index 20aab841a0e..49672c3d6d9 100755
--- a/tests/interp/oword-mdi-sub-update/test.sh
+++ b/tests/interp/oword-mdi-sub-update/test.sh
@@ -1,5 +1,3 @@
 #!/bin/bash
 
-linuxcnc -r interp.ini
-exit $?
-
+exec linuxcnc -r interp.ini
diff --git a/tests/interp/pymove/test.sh b/tests/interp/pymove/test.sh
index cc74b3d9342..5dbf4b71382 100755
--- a/tests/interp/pymove/test.sh
+++ b/tests/interp/pymove/test.sh
@@ -1,3 +1,2 @@
 #!/bin/bash
-rs274 -i test.ini -n 0 -g test.ngc 2>&1
-exit $?
+exec rs274 -i test.ini -n 0 -g test.ngc 2>&1
diff --git a/tests/interp/python-self/test.sh b/tests/interp/python-self/test.sh
index b505c39369a..f04a539256e 100755
--- a/tests/interp/python-self/test.sh
+++ b/tests/interp/python-self/test.sh
@@ -1,4 +1,3 @@
 #!/bin/bash
 export PYTHONUNBUFFERED=1
-rs274  -i test.ini -n 0 -g test.ngc 2>&1
-exit $?
+exec rs274  -i test.ini -n 0 -g test.ngc 2>&1
diff --git a/tests/interp/sequence-number/test.sh b/tests/interp/sequence-number/test.sh
index 582d72946e1..6b3fe6ddaba 100644
--- a/tests/interp/sequence-number/test.sh
+++ b/tests/interp/sequence-number/test.sh
@@ -1,3 +1,2 @@
 #!/bin/bash
-rs274 -n 0 -i test.ini -g test.ngc
-exit $?
+exec rs274 -n 0 -i test.ini -g test.ngc
diff --git a/tests/interp/subroutine-return/test.sh b/tests/interp/subroutine-return/test.sh
index bc868235b87..cf334c1b274 100755
--- a/tests/interp/subroutine-return/test.sh
+++ b/tests/interp/subroutine-return/test.sh
@@ -3,6 +3,4 @@
 cp -f orig.ngc test.ngc
 cp -f subs/orig-sub.ngc subs/sub.ngc
 
-linuxcnc -r interp.ini
-exit $?
-
+exec linuxcnc -r interp.ini
diff --git a/tests/interp/value-returned/test.sh b/tests/interp/value-returned/test.sh
index cc74b3d9342..5dbf4b71382 100755
--- a/tests/interp/value-returned/test.sh
+++ b/tests/interp/value-returned/test.sh
@@ -1,3 +1,2 @@
 #!/bin/bash
-rs274 -i test.ini -n 0 -g test.ngc 2>&1
-exit $?
+exec rs274 -i test.ini -n 0 -g test.ngc 2>&1
diff --git a/tests/io-startup/shared-test.sh b/tests/io-startup/shared-test.sh
index b568c513acb..c378d3eaf80 100755
--- a/tests/io-startup/shared-test.sh
+++ b/tests/io-startup/shared-test.sh
@@ -3,6 +3,4 @@
 rm -f tool.tbl
 cp tool.tbl.original tool.tbl
 
-linuxcnc -r test.ini
-exit $?
-
+exec linuxcnc -r test.ini
diff --git a/tests/lathe/test.sh b/tests/lathe/test.sh
index 2b16fbde826..12ba0cd03dc 100755
--- a/tests/lathe/test.sh
+++ b/tests/lathe/test.sh
@@ -1,5 +1,3 @@
 #!/bin/bash
 
-linuxcnc -r lathe.ini
-exit $?
-
+exec linuxcnc -r lathe.ini
diff --git a/tests/motion/jogwheel-axis/test.sh b/tests/motion/jogwheel-axis/test.sh
index 6e50c15a793..798f0dee7b7 100755
--- a/tests/motion/jogwheel-axis/test.sh
+++ b/tests/motion/jogwheel-axis/test.sh
@@ -1,5 +1,3 @@
 #!/bin/bash
 
-linuxcnc -r motion-test.ini
-exit $?
-
+exec linuxcnc -r motion-test.ini
diff --git a/tests/motion/jogwheel-joint/test.sh b/tests/motion/jogwheel-joint/test.sh
index 6e50c15a793..798f0dee7b7 100755
--- a/tests/motion/jogwheel-joint/test.sh
+++ b/tests/motion/jogwheel-joint/test.sh
@@ -1,5 +1,3 @@
 #!/bin/bash
 
-linuxcnc -r motion-test.ini
-exit $?
-
+exec linuxcnc -r motion-test.ini
diff --git a/tests/remap/introspect/test.sh b/tests/remap/introspect/test.sh
index 7b265f2d78e..02c534ca16d 100755
--- a/tests/remap/introspect/test.sh
+++ b/tests/remap/introspect/test.sh
@@ -1,4 +1,3 @@
 #!/bin/bash
 export PYTHONUNBUFFERED=1
-rs274 -i test.ini -n 0 -g test.ngc 2>&1
-exit $?
+exec rs274 -i test.ini -n 0 -g test.ngc 2>&1
diff --git a/tests/remap/oword-pycall/test.sh b/tests/remap/oword-pycall/test.sh
index feeeb455cfd..4215493da4f 100755
--- a/tests/remap/oword-pycall/test.sh
+++ b/tests/remap/oword-pycall/test.sh
@@ -1,4 +1,3 @@
 #!/bin/bash
 export PYTHONUNBUFFERED=1
-rs274 -t test.tbl -i test.ini -n 0 -g test.ngc 2>&1
-exit $?
+exec rs274 -t test.tbl -i test.ini -n 0 -g test.ngc 2>&1
diff --git a/tests/remap/predefined-named-params/test.sh b/tests/remap/predefined-named-params/test.sh
index 7b265f2d78e..02c534ca16d 100755
--- a/tests/remap/predefined-named-params/test.sh
+++ b/tests/remap/predefined-named-params/test.sh
@@ -1,4 +1,3 @@
 #!/bin/bash
 export PYTHONUNBUFFERED=1
-rs274 -i test.ini -n 0 -g test.ngc 2>&1
-exit $?
+exec rs274 -i test.ini -n 0 -g test.ngc 2>&1
diff --git a/tests/remap/variable-injection/test.sh b/tests/remap/variable-injection/test.sh
index 013a557bc49..1b7c5d406d8 100755
--- a/tests/remap/variable-injection/test.sh
+++ b/tests/remap/variable-injection/test.sh
@@ -1,3 +1,2 @@
 #!/bin/bash
-rs274 -i test.ini -g test.ngc 2>&1
-exit $?
+exec rs274 -i test.ini -g test.ngc 2>&1
diff --git a/tests/tlo/test.sh b/tests/tlo/test.sh
index f7226ce3880..50d7a466a35 100755
--- a/tests/tlo/test.sh
+++ b/tests/tlo/test.sh
@@ -3,6 +3,4 @@
 cp -f simpockets.tbl.original simpockets.tbl
 rm -f sim.var
 
-linuxcnc -r g43-test.ini
-exit $?
-
+exec linuxcnc -r g43-test.ini
diff --git a/tests/toolchanger/m61/test.sh b/tests/toolchanger/m61/test.sh
index 2c0f4b1afd4..5d77bedec55 100755
--- a/tests/toolchanger/m61/test.sh
+++ b/tests/toolchanger/m61/test.sh
@@ -2,6 +2,4 @@
 
 cp -f ../simpockets.tbl.original simpockets.tbl
 
-linuxcnc -r m61-test.ini
-exit $?
-
+exec linuxcnc -r m61-test.ini