diff --git a/tools/testing/selftests/net/mptcp/diag.sh b/tools/testing/selftests/net/mptcp/diag.sh
index 4d8c59be1b30..7f89623f1080 100755
--- a/tools/testing/selftests/net/mptcp/diag.sh
+++ b/tools/testing/selftests/net/mptcp/diag.sh
@@ -69,7 +69,7 @@ __chk_nr()
 		else
 			echo "[ fail ] expected $expected found $nr"
 			mptcp_lib_result_fail "${msg}"
-			ret=$test_cnt
+			ret=${KSFT_FAIL}
 		fi
 	else
 		echo "[  ok  ]"
@@ -115,11 +115,11 @@ wait_msk_nr()
 	if [ $i -ge $timeout ]; then
 		echo "[ fail ] timeout while expecting $expected max $max last $nr"
 		mptcp_lib_result_fail "${msg} # timeout"
-		ret=$test_cnt
+		ret=${KSFT_FAIL}
 	elif [ $nr != $expected ]; then
 		echo "[ fail ] expected $expected found $nr"
 		mptcp_lib_result_fail "${msg} # unexpected result"
-		ret=$test_cnt
+		ret=${KSFT_FAIL}
 	else
 		echo "[  ok  ]"
 		mptcp_lib_result_pass "${msg}"