diff --git a/test/test-force.script b/test/test-force.script
index a4e5bb952c5189f8ed3cfe6ebc0d3d5e45202c82..9a4fcbfd4b39e8b16437557faa01715678f7e2f4 100644
--- a/test/test-force.script
+++ b/test/test-force.script
@@ -5,9 +5,8 @@
  (setf asdf:*central-registry* '(*default-pathname-defaults*))
 
  (asdf:operate 'asdf:load-op 'test-force)
- (defvar file1-date (file-write-date (asdf:compile-file-pathname* "file1"))))
+ (defvar file1-date (file-write-date (asdf:compile-file-pathname* "file1")))
 
-(quit-on-error
  ;; unforced, date should stay same
  (sleep 1)
  (asdf:operate 'asdf:load-op 'test-force)
diff --git a/test/test-static-and-serial.script b/test/test-static-and-serial.script
index 7950114755d4bf1341f6f4256f7506cce924245a..e85b5a02f2c07d2cfc2c2a506ff645de2cb4dada 100644
--- a/test/test-static-and-serial.script
+++ b/test/test-static-and-serial.script
@@ -5,9 +5,8 @@
  (setf asdf:*central-registry* '(*default-pathname-defaults*))
 
  (asdf:operate 'asdf:load-op 'static-and-serial)
- (defvar file1-date (file-write-date (asdf:compile-file-pathname* "file1"))))
+ (defvar file1-date (file-write-date (asdf:compile-file-pathname* "file1")))
 
-(quit-on-error
  ;; cheat
  (setf asdf::*defined-systems* (make-hash-table :test 'equal))
 
diff --git a/test/test1.script b/test/test1.script
index c9c8aa6aceaafd40a5b5980527d32de4bada8eaf..6183b17ffa3c391f6c23d5b6aff4af8afef33a11 100644
--- a/test/test1.script
+++ b/test/test1.script
@@ -7,15 +7,13 @@
  (asdf:operate 'asdf:load-op 'test1)
 
  ;; test that it compiled
- (defvar file1-date (file-write-date (asdf:compile-file-pathname* "file1"))))
+ (defvar file1-date (file-write-date (asdf:compile-file-pathname* "file1")))
 
-(quit-on-error
- (assert (and file1-date (file-write-date (asdf:compile-file-pathname* "file2")))))
+ (assert (and file1-date (file-write-date (asdf:compile-file-pathname* "file2"))))
 
-;; and loaded
-(assert test-package::*file1*)
+ ;; and loaded
+ (assert (eval (intern (symbol-name '#:*file1*) :test-package)))
 
-(quit-on-error
  ;; now remove one output file and check that the other is _not_
  ;; recompiled
  (sleep 1) ; mtime has 1-second granularity, so pause here for fast machines