diff --git a/bin/tests/system/runtime/tests.sh b/bin/tests/system/runtime/tests.sh
index 6606545bec..29438e24d3 100644
--- a/bin/tests/system/runtime/tests.sh
+++ b/bin/tests/system/runtime/tests.sh
@@ -62,7 +62,7 @@ run_named() (
 )
 
 check_pid() (
-  return $(! kill -0 "${1}" >/dev/null 2>&1)
+  ! kill -0 "${1}" >/dev/null 2>&1
 )
 
 status=0