diff --git a/tools/testing/selftests/resctrl/cat_test.c b/tools/testing/selftests/resctrl/cat_test.c
index 38c10a8c1814a..0880575840f90 100644
--- a/tools/testing/selftests/resctrl/cat_test.c
+++ b/tools/testing/selftests/resctrl/cat_test.c
@@ -186,23 +186,20 @@ int cat_perf_miss_val(int cpu_no, int n, char *cache_type)
 	remove(param.filename);
 
 	ret = cat_val(&param);
-	if (ret)
-		return ret;
-
-	ret = check_results(&param);
-	if (ret)
-		return ret;
+	if (ret == 0)
+		ret = check_results(&param);
 
 	if (bm_pid == 0) {
 		/* Tell parent that child is ready */
 		close(pipefd[0]);
 		pipe_message = 1;
 		if (write(pipefd[1], &pipe_message, sizeof(pipe_message)) <
-		    sizeof(pipe_message)) {
-			close(pipefd[1]);
+		    sizeof(pipe_message))
+			/*
+			 * Just print the error message.
+			 * Let while(1) run and wait for itself to be killed.
+			 */
 			perror("# failed signaling parent process");
-			return errno;
-		}
 
 		close(pipefd[1]);
 		while (1)
@@ -226,5 +223,5 @@ int cat_perf_miss_val(int cpu_no, int n, char *cache_type)
 	if (bm_pid)
 		umount_resctrlfs();
 
-	return 0;
+	return ret;
 }