diff --git a/bin/tests/system/xfer/tests.sh b/bin/tests/system/xfer/tests.sh
index fd0e5ff495..25cb9857d6 100755
--- a/bin/tests/system/xfer/tests.sh
+++ b/bin/tests/system/xfer/tests.sh
@@ -576,7 +576,7 @@ status=$((status+tmp))
 n=$((n+1))
 echo_i "test that transfer-source uses port option correctly ($n)"
 tmp=0
-grep "10.53.0.3#${EXTRAPORT1} (primary): query 'primary/SOA/IN' approved" ns6/named.run > /dev/null || ret=1
+grep "10.53.0.3#${EXTRAPORT1} (primary): query 'primary/SOA/IN' approved" ns6/named.run > /dev/null || tmp=1
 if test $tmp != 0 ; then echo_i "failed"; fi
 status=$((status+tmp))