diff --git a/test/test-yamlfmt.sh b/test/test-yamlfmt.sh
index a0b39f487e..183b9ce2f0 100755
--- a/test/test-yamlfmt.sh
+++ b/test/test-yamlfmt.sh
@@ -2,6 +2,7 @@
 # check for any yaml files that aren't properly formatted
 
 echo running "$0"
+set -o pipefail
 
 #ROOT="$( cd "$( dirname "${BASH_SOURCE[0]}" )" && cd .. && pwd )"	# dir!
 ROOT=$(dirname "${BASH_SOURCE}")/..
@@ -14,7 +15,8 @@ if [ -z "$LINTER" ]; then
 fi
 
 find_files() {
-	git ls-files | grep '\.yaml$'
+	git ls-files | grep '\.yaml$' \
+		|| fail_test "Could not find yaml files via git ls-files"
 }
 
 bad_files=$(