diff --git a/first-network/byfn.sh b/first-network/byfn.sh
index c9129e82ab..0e68afc46d 100755
--- a/first-network/byfn.sh
+++ b/first-network/byfn.sh
@@ -317,8 +317,9 @@ function generateCerts (){
   fi
   set -x
   cryptogen generate --config=./crypto-config.yaml
+  res=$?
   set +x
-  if [ "$?" -ne 0 ]; then
+  if [ $res -ne 0 ]; then
     echo "Failed to generate certificates..."
     exit 1
   fi
@@ -377,8 +378,9 @@ function generateChannelArtifacts() {
   # named orderer.genesis.block or the orderer will fail to launch!
   set -x
   configtxgen -profile TwoOrgsOrdererGenesis -outputBlock ./channel-artifacts/genesis.block
+  res=$?
   set +x
-  if [ "$?" -ne 0 ]; then
+  if [ $res -ne 0 ]; then
     echo "Failed to generate orderer genesis block..."
     exit 1
   fi
@@ -388,8 +390,9 @@ function generateChannelArtifacts() {
   echo "#################################################################"
   set -x
   configtxgen -profile TwoOrgsChannel -outputCreateChannelTx ./channel-artifacts/channel.tx -channelID $CHANNEL_NAME
+  res=$?
   set +x
-  if [ "$?" -ne 0 ]; then
+  if [ $res -ne 0 ]; then
     echo "Failed to generate channel configuration transaction..."
     exit 1
   fi
@@ -400,8 +403,9 @@ function generateChannelArtifacts() {
   echo "#################################################################"
   set -x
   configtxgen -profile TwoOrgsChannel -outputAnchorPeersUpdate ./channel-artifacts/Org1MSPanchors.tx -channelID $CHANNEL_NAME -asOrg Org1MSP
+  res=$?
   set +x
-  if [ "$?" -ne 0 ]; then
+  if [ $res -ne 0 ]; then
     echo "Failed to generate anchor peer update for Org1MSP..."
     exit 1
   fi
@@ -413,8 +417,9 @@ function generateChannelArtifacts() {
   set -x
   configtxgen -profile TwoOrgsChannel -outputAnchorPeersUpdate \
   ./channel-artifacts/Org2MSPanchors.tx -channelID $CHANNEL_NAME -asOrg Org2MSP
+  res=$?
   set +x
-  if [ "$?" -ne 0 ]; then
+  if [ $res -ne 0 ]; then
     echo "Failed to generate anchor peer update for Org2MSP..."
     exit 1
   fi
diff --git a/first-network/eyfn.sh b/first-network/eyfn.sh
index a811d56da3..b6783aacec 100755
--- a/first-network/eyfn.sh
+++ b/first-network/eyfn.sh
@@ -186,8 +186,9 @@ function generateCerts (){
   (cd org3-artifacts
    set -x
    cryptogen generate --config=./org3-crypto.yaml
+   res=$?
    set +x
-   if [ "$?" -ne 0 ]; then
+   if [ $res -ne 0 ]; then
      echo "Failed to generate certificates..."
      exit 1
    fi
@@ -209,8 +210,9 @@ function generateChannelArtifacts() {
    export FABRIC_CFG_PATH=$PWD
    set -x
    configtxgen -printOrg Org3MSP > ../channel-artifacts/org3.json
+   res=$?
    set +x
-   if [ "$?" -ne 0 ]; then
+   if [ $res -ne 0 ]; then
      echo "Failed to generate Org3 config material..."
      exit 1
    fi
diff --git a/first-network/scripts/script.sh b/first-network/scripts/script.sh
index 4e0b6ab446..5762cb253f 100755
--- a/first-network/scripts/script.sh
+++ b/first-network/scripts/script.sh
@@ -38,11 +38,14 @@ createChannel() {
 	if [ -z "$CORE_PEER_TLS_ENABLED" -o "$CORE_PEER_TLS_ENABLED" = "false" ]; then
                 set -x
 		peer channel create -o orderer.example.com:7050 -c $CHANNEL_NAME -f ./channel-artifacts/channel.tx >&log.txt
+		res=$?
                 set +x
 	else
+				set -x
 		peer channel create -o orderer.example.com:7050 -c $CHANNEL_NAME -f ./channel-artifacts/channel.tx --tls $CORE_PEER_TLS_ENABLED --cafile $ORDERER_CA >&log.txt
+		res=$?
+				set +x
 	fi
-	res=$?
 	cat log.txt
 	verifyResult $res "Channel creation failed"
 	echo "===================== Channel \"$CHANNEL_NAME\" is created successfully ===================== "
diff --git a/first-network/scripts/step2org3.sh b/first-network/scripts/step2org3.sh
index 0ffaa01ddf..41268c4b40 100755
--- a/first-network/scripts/step2org3.sh
+++ b/first-network/scripts/step2org3.sh
@@ -38,8 +38,8 @@ fi
 echo "Fetching channel config block from orderer..."
 set -x
 peer channel fetch 0 $CHANNEL_NAME.block -o orderer.example.com:7050 -c $CHANNEL_NAME --tls --cafile $ORDERER_CA >&log.txt
-set +x
 res=$?
+set +x
 cat log.txt
 verifyResult $res "Fetching config block from orderer has Failed"
 
diff --git a/first-network/scripts/upgrade_to_v11.sh b/first-network/scripts/upgrade_to_v11.sh
index bb980db98a..69eb2fbda2 100755
--- a/first-network/scripts/upgrade_to_v11.sh
+++ b/first-network/scripts/upgrade_to_v11.sh
@@ -87,13 +87,14 @@ addCapabilityToChannel() {
         if [ -z "$CORE_PEER_TLS_ENABLED" -o "$CORE_PEER_TLS_ENABLED" = "false" ]; then
                 set -x
                 peer channel update -f config_update_in_envelope.pb -c $CH_NAME -o orderer.example.com:7050 --cafile $ORDERER_CA
+                res=$?
                 set +x
         else
                 set -x
                 peer channel update -f config_update_in_envelope.pb -c $CH_NAME -o orderer.example.com:7050 --tls true --cafile $ORDERER_CA
+                res=$?
                 set +x
         fi
-        res=$?
         verifyResult $res "Config update for \"$GROUP\" on \"$CH_NAME\" failed"
         echo "===================== Config update for \"$GROUP\" on \"$CH_NAME\" is completed ===================== "
 
diff --git a/first-network/scripts/utils.sh b/first-network/scripts/utils.sh
index 305a810383..7509147e3b 100755
--- a/first-network/scripts/utils.sh
+++ b/first-network/scripts/utils.sh
@@ -71,13 +71,14 @@ updateAnchorPeers() {
   if [ -z "$CORE_PEER_TLS_ENABLED" -o "$CORE_PEER_TLS_ENABLED" = "false" ]; then
                 set -x
 		peer channel update -o orderer.example.com:7050 -c $CHANNEL_NAME -f ./channel-artifacts/${CORE_PEER_LOCALMSPID}anchors.tx >&log.txt
+		res=$?
                 set +x
   else
                 set -x
 		peer channel update -o orderer.example.com:7050 -c $CHANNEL_NAME -f ./channel-artifacts/${CORE_PEER_LOCALMSPID}anchors.tx --tls $CORE_PEER_TLS_ENABLED --cafile $ORDERER_CA >&log.txt
+		res=$?
                 set +x
   fi
-	res=$?
 	cat log.txt
 	verifyResult $res "Anchor peer update failed"
 	echo "===================== Anchor peers for org \"$CORE_PEER_LOCALMSPID\" on \"$CHANNEL_NAME\" is updated successfully ===================== "
@@ -93,8 +94,8 @@ joinChannelWithRetry () {
 
         set -x
 	peer channel join -b $CHANNEL_NAME.block  >&log.txt
-        set +x
 	res=$?
+        set +x
 	cat log.txt
 	if [ $res -ne 0 -a $COUNTER -lt $MAX_RETRY ]; then
 		COUNTER=` expr $COUNTER + 1`
@@ -114,8 +115,8 @@ installChaincode () {
 	VERSION=${3:-1.0}
         set -x
 	peer chaincode install -n mycc -v ${VERSION} -l ${LANGUAGE} -p ${CC_SRC_PATH} >&log.txt
-        set +x
 	res=$?
+        set +x
 	cat log.txt
 	verifyResult $res "Chaincode installation on peer${PEER}.org${ORG} has Failed"
 	echo "===================== Chaincode is installed on peer${PEER}.org${ORG} ===================== "
@@ -133,13 +134,14 @@ instantiateChaincode () {
 	if [ -z "$CORE_PEER_TLS_ENABLED" -o "$CORE_PEER_TLS_ENABLED" = "false" ]; then
                 set -x
 		peer chaincode instantiate -o orderer.example.com:7050 -C $CHANNEL_NAME -n mycc -l ${LANGUAGE} -v ${VERSION} -c '{"Args":["init","a","100","b","200"]}' -P "OR	('Org1MSP.peer','Org2MSP.peer')" >&log.txt
+		res=$?
                 set +x
 	else
                 set -x
 		peer chaincode instantiate -o orderer.example.com:7050 --tls $CORE_PEER_TLS_ENABLED --cafile $ORDERER_CA -C $CHANNEL_NAME -n mycc -l ${LANGUAGE} -v 1.0 -c '{"Args":["init","a","100","b","200"]}' -P "OR	('Org1MSP.peer','Org2MSP.peer')" >&log.txt
+		res=$?
                 set +x
 	fi
-	res=$?
 	cat log.txt
 	verifyResult $res "Chaincode instantiation on peer${PEER}.org${ORG} on channel '$CHANNEL_NAME' failed"
 	echo "===================== Chaincode Instantiation on peer${PEER}.org${ORG} on channel '$CHANNEL_NAME' is successful ===================== "
@@ -153,8 +155,8 @@ upgradeChaincode () {
 
     set -x
     peer chaincode upgrade -o orderer.example.com:7050 --tls $CORE_PEER_TLS_ENABLED --cafile $ORDERER_CA -C $CHANNEL_NAME -n mycc -v 2.0 -c '{"Args":["init","a","90","b","210"]}' -P "OR ('Org1MSP.peer','Org2MSP.peer','Org3MSP.peer')"
-    set +x
     res=$?
+	set +x
     cat log.txt
     verifyResult $res "Chaincode upgrade on org${ORG} peer${PEER} has Failed"
     echo "===================== Chaincode is upgraded on org${ORG} peer${PEER} ===================== "
@@ -178,8 +180,9 @@ chaincodeQuery () {
      echo "Attempting to Query peer${PEER}.org${ORG} ...$(($(date +%s)-starttime)) secs"
      set -x
      peer chaincode query -C $CHANNEL_NAME -n mycc -c '{"Args":["query","a"]}' >&log.txt
+	 res=$?
      set +x
-     test $? -eq 0 && VALUE=$(cat log.txt | awk '/Query Result/ {print $NF}')
+     test $res -eq 0 && VALUE=$(cat log.txt | awk '/Query Result/ {print $NF}')
      test "$VALUE" = "$EXPECTED_RESULT" && let rc=0
   done
   echo
@@ -257,13 +260,14 @@ chaincodeInvoke () {
 	if [ -z "$CORE_PEER_TLS_ENABLED" -o "$CORE_PEER_TLS_ENABLED" = "false" ]; then
                 set -x
 		peer chaincode invoke -o orderer.example.com:7050 -C $CHANNEL_NAME -n mycc -c '{"Args":["invoke","a","b","10"]}' >&log.txt
+		res=$?
                 set +x
 	else
                 set -x
 		peer chaincode invoke -o orderer.example.com:7050  --tls $CORE_PEER_TLS_ENABLED --cafile $ORDERER_CA -C $CHANNEL_NAME -n mycc -c '{"Args":["invoke","a","b","10"]}' >&log.txt
+		res=$?
                 set +x
 	fi
-	res=$?
 	cat log.txt
 	verifyResult $res "Invoke execution on peer${PEER}.org${ORG} failed "
 	echo "===================== Invoke transaction on peer${PEER}.org${ORG} on channel '$CHANNEL_NAME' is successful ===================== "