diff --git a/ci-automation/test.sh b/ci-automation/test.sh
index 0dd0fce80c..f5d14d05bb 100644
--- a/ci-automation/test.sh
+++ b/ci-automation/test.sh
@@ -154,6 +154,8 @@ function _test_run_impl() {
     local tap_merged_detailed="results-${image}-detailed.tap"
     local retry=""
     local success=false
+    local print_give_up=true
+    local failed_tests=()
     # A job on each worker prunes old mantle images (docker image prune)
     echo "docker rm -f '${container_name}'" >> ./ci-cleanup.sh
 
@@ -188,32 +190,32 @@ function _test_run_impl() {
                 "${tap_merged_summary}" \
                 "${tap_merged_detailed}"
 
-        local failed_tests
-        failed_tests="$(cat "${tests_dir}/${failfile}")"
-        if [ -z "$failed_tests" ] ; then
+        readarray -t failed_tests <"${tests_dir}/${failfile}"
+        if [ "${#failed_tests[@]}" -eq 0 ] ; then
             echo "########### All tests succeeded. ###########"
             success=true
+            print_give_up=false
             break
         fi
 
         if retest_cycle_broken; then
             echo "########### Test cycle requested to break ###########"
-            echo "Failed tests: $failed_tests"
+            echo "Failed tests:"
+            printf '%s\n' "${failed_tests[@]}"
             echo "-----------"
-            # not really a success, but don't print a message about
-            # exhaused reruns and giving up
-            success=true
+            print_give_up=false
             break
         fi
 
         echo "########### Some tests failed and will be re-run (${retry} / ${retries}). ###########"
-        echo "Failed tests: $failed_tests"
+        echo "Failed tests:"
+        printf '%s\n' "${failed_tests[@]}"
         echo "-----------"
-        set -- $failed_tests
+        set -- "${failed_tests[@]}"
     done
 
 
-    if ! $success; then
+    if ${print_give_up}; then
         echo "########### All re-runs exhausted ($retries). Giving up. ###########"
     fi
 
diff --git a/ci-automation/vendor-testing/qemu_update.sh b/ci-automation/vendor-testing/qemu_update.sh
index 2d8dea3a39..1ce875f684 100755
--- a/ci-automation/vendor-testing/qemu_update.sh
+++ b/ci-automation/vendor-testing/qemu_update.sh
@@ -13,7 +13,12 @@ set -euo pipefail
 source ci-automation/vendor_test.sh
 
 if [ "$*" != "" ] && [ "$*" != "*" ] && [ "$*" != "cl.update.payload" ]; then
-    echo "Only cl.update.payload is supported, got '$*'"
+    echo "1..1" > "${CIA_TAPFILE}"
+    echo "not ok - all qemu update tests" >> "${CIA_TAPFILE}"
+    echo "  ---" >> "${CIA_TAPFILE}"
+    echo "  ERROR: Only cl.update.payload is supported, got '$*'." | tee -a "${CIA_TAPFILE}"
+    echo "  ..." >> "${CIA_TAPFILE}"
+    break_retest_cycle
     exit 1
 fi