diff --git a/tests/functional/launch_tests_on_instance.sh b/tests/functional/launch_tests_on_instance.sh
index 0bbc35467..d71c5eb54 100755
--- a/tests/functional/launch_tests_on_instance.sh
+++ b/tests/functional/launch_tests_on_instance.sh
@@ -165,7 +165,8 @@ fi
     mytmpdir=$(mktemp -d -t bastiontest.XXXXXX)
     tmp_a=$(mktemp -t bastiontest.XXXXXX)
     tmp_b=$(mktemp -t bastiontest.XXXXXX)
-    trap 'echo CLEANING UP ; rm -rf "$mytmpdir" ; rm -f "$tmp_a" "$tmp_b" ; exit 255' EXIT
+    source_stderr=$(mktemp -t bastiontest.XXXXXX)
+    trap 'echo CLEANING UP ; rm -rf "$mytmpdir" ; rm -f "$tmp_a" "$tmp_b" "$source_stderr"; exit 255' EXIT
     account0key1file="$mytmpdir/account0key1file"
     account1key1file="$mytmpdir/account1key1file"
     account1key2file="$mytmpdir/account1key2file"
@@ -701,12 +702,24 @@ runtests()
 
         dump_vars_and_funcs > "$tmp_a"
         module_ret=0
-        # as this is a loop, we do the shellcheck in a reversed way, see any included module for more info:
-        # shellcheck disable=SC1090
-        if source "$module"; then
-            module_ret=0
+        if [ "$COUNTONLY" = 0 ]; then
+            # as this is a loop, we do the shellcheck in a reversed way, see any included module for more info:
+            # shellcheck disable=SC1090
+            source "$module" || module_ret=$?
         else
-            module_ret=$?
+            # take the opportunity to ensure there's nothing in stderr, or there might be
+            # errors in the module we're sourcing by capturing 2>
+            # shellcheck disable=SC1090
+            source "$module" 2>"$source_stderr" || module_ret=$?
+            if [ -s "$source_stderr" ]; then
+                echo
+                echo "DEFINITION ERROR in module $module, aborting:"
+                echo "-----"
+                cat "$source_stderr"
+                echo "-----"
+                echo
+                exit 1
+            fi
         fi
         dump_vars_and_funcs > "$tmp_b"
         success module_postrun test "$module_ret" = 0
diff --git a/tests/functional/tests.d/350-groups.sh b/tests/functional/tests.d/350-groups.sh
index eba2b532a..92ce132d6 100644
--- a/tests/functional/tests.d/350-groups.sh
+++ b/tests/functional/tests.d/350-groups.sh
@@ -145,7 +145,7 @@ EOS
     json .error_code ERR_INCOMPATIBLE_PARAMETERS
 
     success a1_add_access_force_key_g1 $a1 --osh groupAddServer --host 127.1.2.3 --user 'ar@base' --port-any --force --force-key "$key1fp" --group $group1
-    .value.user 'ar@base'
+    json .value.user 'ar@base'
 
     success a1_list_servers_check_force_key_g1 $a1 --osh groupListServers --group $group1
     json '.value|.[]|select(.ip=="127.1.2.3")|.forceKey' "$key1fp"
diff --git a/tests/functional/tests.d/380-config-options.sh b/tests/functional/tests.d/380-config-options.sh
index 710743a49..31011a9d8 100644
--- a/tests/functional/tests.d/380-config-options.sh
+++ b/tests/functional/tests.d/380-config-options.sh
@@ -10,7 +10,7 @@ testsuite_config_options()
     configchg 's=^\\\\x22dnsSupportLevel\\\\x22.+=\\\\x22dnsSupportLevel\\\\x22:0,='
 
     run a1_connect_nodns $a0 localhost
-    retvalmustbe 102
+    retvalshouldbe 102
     json .error_code KO_HOST_NOT_FOUND
     contain 'DNS resolving is disabled'
 }