diff --git a/.circleci/config.yml b/.circleci/config.yml
index a0cfb7a..348f992 100644
--- a/.circleci/config.yml
+++ b/.circleci/config.yml
@@ -142,8 +142,8 @@ expfactoryrobots: &expfactoryrobots
         docker exec expfactory-robot ls /data/${CIRCLE_PROJECT_REPONAME}
         echo "3. running tests."
         echo "docker exec -it expfactory-robot xvfb-run -a python3  /code/start.py /data/${CIRCLE_PROJECT_REPONAME}"
-        docker exec -it expfactory-robot xvfb-run -a python3  /code/start.py /data/${CIRCLE_PROJECT_REPONAME} && retval="$?" || retval="1"
-        if [ "${retval}" -neq 0 ]; then
+        docker exec -it expfactory-robot xvfb-run -a python3  /code/start.py /data/${CIRCLE_PROJECT_REPONAME} && retval=$? || retval=1
+        if [ "${retval}" != "0" ]; then
             echo "Return value $retval is nonzero, check errors above."
             exit $retval
         else