diff --git a/src/test/kerberos/t/001_auth.pl b/src/test/kerberos/t/001_auth.pl
index 0363c5f5a8..1c1fd674cf 100644
--- a/src/test/kerberos/t/001_auth.pl
+++ b/src/test/kerberos/t/001_auth.pl
@@ -180,7 +180,12 @@ system_or_bail $krb5kdc, '-P', $kdc_pidfile;
 
 END
 {
-	kill 'INT', `cat $kdc_pidfile` if -f $kdc_pidfile;
+	# take care not to change the script's exit value
+	my $exit_code = $?;
+
+	kill 'INT', `cat $kdc_pidfile` if defined($kdc_pidfile) && -f $kdc_pidfile;
+
+	$? = $exit_code;
 }
 
 note "setting up PostgreSQL instance";
diff --git a/src/test/ldap/t/001_auth.pl b/src/test/ldap/t/001_auth.pl
index 850b28f20f..c0f2782f49 100644
--- a/src/test/ldap/t/001_auth.pl
+++ b/src/test/ldap/t/001_auth.pl
@@ -147,7 +147,12 @@ system_or_bail $slapd, '-f', $slapd_conf,'-s0', '-h', "$ldap_url $ldaps_url";
 
 END
 {
+	# take care not to change the script's exit value
+	my $exit_code = $?;
+
 	kill 'INT', `cat $slapd_pidfile` if -f $slapd_pidfile;
+
+	$? = $exit_code;
 }
 
 append_to_file($ldap_pwfile, $ldap_rootpw);