diff --git a/test_cli.sh b/test_cli.sh
index 0003da0..962d474 100755
--- a/test_cli.sh
+++ b/test_cli.sh
@@ -29,13 +29,18 @@ if [ -z "$1" ]; then
     # cli script needs to be executed to get absolute path to the program
     export WHCK="$("$FIND_WHCK")"
 else
-    if WHCK="$(realpath -q "$ORIGDIR"/"$1")"; then
-        export WHCK
+    if [ -x "$ORIGDIR"/"$1" ]; then
+        export WHCK="$(realpath "$ORIGDIR"/"$1")"
+    elif [ -x "$1" ]; then
+        export WHCK="$(realpath "$ORIGDIR"/"$1")"
     else
-        export WHCK="$(realpath "$1")"
+        echo "ERROR: Could not find provided validation program: "$1""
+        exit 2
     fi
 fi
 
 bats tests/cli/*.bats
+status=$?
 
 cd "$ORIGDIR"
+exit $status