diff --git a/tests/codes_compare_keys.cc b/tests/codes_compare_keys.cc
index 484e12f0e..89f37a25d 100644
--- a/tests/codes_compare_keys.cc
+++ b/tests/codes_compare_keys.cc
@@ -17,7 +17,6 @@ int main(int argc, char* argv[])
     grib_handle* h1 = NULL;
     grib_handle* h2 = NULL;
     int err       = 0;
-    int failed    = 0;
     size_t count  = 0;
 
     Assert(argc == 3);
@@ -40,7 +39,6 @@ int main(int argc, char* argv[])
             err = codes_compare_key(h1, h2, name, 0);
             if (err) {
                 fprintf(stderr, "key: %s  (%s)\n", name, grib_get_error_message(err));
-                failed = 1;
                 ++count;
             }
         }
@@ -51,8 +49,9 @@ int main(int argc, char* argv[])
     }
     fclose(f1);
     fclose(f2);
-    if (failed) {
-        fprintf(stderr, "\nComparison failed: %zu key(s) are different\n", count);
+    if (count > 0) {
+        fprintf(stderr, "\nComparison failed: %zu differences\n", count);
+        return 1;
     }
-    return failed;
+    return 0;
 }
diff --git a/tests/codes_compare_keys.sh b/tests/codes_compare_keys.sh
index 398f2009d..c5918f769 100755
--- a/tests/codes_compare_keys.sh
+++ b/tests/codes_compare_keys.sh
@@ -38,7 +38,7 @@ key: minutesAfterDataCutoff  (Long values are different)
 key: numberOfValues  (Long values are different)
 key: referenceValue  (Double values are different)
 
-Comparison failed: 13 key(s) are different
+Comparison failed: 13 differences
 EOF
 
 diff $tempRef $tempLog
@@ -58,7 +58,7 @@ cat > $tempRef <<EOF
 key: referenceValue  (Double values are different)
 key: codedValues  (Double values are different)
 
-Comparison failed: 2 key(s) are different
+Comparison failed: 2 differences
 EOF
 
 diff $tempRef $tempLog