diff --git a/CondCore/DBCommon/test/testCondObjCopy.cc b/CondCore/DBCommon/test/testCondObjCopy.cc
index ba66ff0a0f3be..37d1ea519a718 100644
--- a/CondCore/DBCommon/test/testCondObjCopy.cc
+++ b/CondCore/DBCommon/test/testCondObjCopy.cc
@@ -51,9 +51,13 @@ int main(){
     std::cout<<"committed"<<std::endl;
   }catch(cond::Exception& er){
     std::cout<<er.what()<<std::endl;
+    return -1;
   }catch(std::exception& er){
     std::cout<<er.what()<<std::endl;
+    return -1;
   }catch(...){
     std::cout<<"Funny error"<<std::endl;
+    return -1;
   }
+  return 0;
 }
diff --git a/CondCore/DBCommon/test/testDbSession.cc b/CondCore/DBCommon/test/testDbSession.cc
index d507ee2815371..19931fd4e766c 100644
--- a/CondCore/DBCommon/test/testDbSession.cc
+++ b/CondCore/DBCommon/test/testDbSession.cc
@@ -58,6 +58,7 @@ int main(){
     std::cout << "Session is correctly open."<<std::endl;
   } catch ( const cond::Exception& exc ){
     std::cout << "ERROR: "<<exc.what()<<std::endl;
+    return -1;
   }
     std::cout << "######### test 6"<<std::endl;
   s.close();
@@ -73,6 +74,7 @@ int main(){
     s2.transaction().commit();    
   } catch ( const cond::Exception& exc ){
     std::cout << "ERROR: "<<exc.what()<<std::endl;
+    return -1;
   }
     std::cout << "######### test 8"<<std::endl;
   // closing connection...
@@ -89,5 +91,6 @@ int main(){
   } catch ( const ora::Exception& exc ){
     std::cout << "Expected error: "<<exc.what()<<std::endl;
   }
+  return 0;
   
 }
diff --git a/CondCore/DBCommon/test/testDbSessionIO.cc b/CondCore/DBCommon/test/testDbSessionIO.cc
index d4caf197b5f75..af61eb83b13b7 100644
--- a/CondCore/DBCommon/test/testDbSessionIO.cc
+++ b/CondCore/DBCommon/test/testDbSessionIO.cc
@@ -91,5 +91,7 @@ int main(){
     s0.transaction().commit();    
   } catch ( const cond::Exception& exc ){
     std::cout << "ERROR: "<<exc.what()<<std::endl;
+    return -1;
   } 
+  return 0;
 }
diff --git a/CondCore/DBCommon/test/testTechnologyPlugin.cc b/CondCore/DBCommon/test/testTechnologyPlugin.cc
index 81843d051b57d..21da018f0fa18 100644
--- a/CondCore/DBCommon/test/testTechnologyPlugin.cc
+++ b/CondCore/DBCommon/test/testTechnologyPlugin.cc
@@ -47,6 +47,7 @@ int main(){
     }
   } catch ( const std::exception & er) {
     std::cout << "Error: " << er.what()<<std::endl;
+    return -1;
   } 
   return 0;
 }
diff --git a/CondCore/IOVService/test/testIOVCopy.cc b/CondCore/IOVService/test/testIOVCopy.cc
index 8737a4ea6d407..1df8d0899ad9a 100644
--- a/CondCore/IOVService/test/testIOVCopy.cc
+++ b/CondCore/IOVService/test/testIOVCopy.cc
@@ -59,7 +59,10 @@ int main(){
     std::cout<<"editor deleted"<<std::endl;
   }catch(const cond::Exception& er){
     std::cout<<"error "<<er.what()<<std::endl;
+    return -1;
   }catch(const std::exception& er){
     std::cout<<"std error "<<er.what()<<std::endl;
+    return -1;
   }
+  return 0;
 }
diff --git a/CondCore/IOVService/test/testIOVDelete.cc b/CondCore/IOVService/test/testIOVDelete.cc
index 8905dc769c97d..743952793e55d 100644
--- a/CondCore/IOVService/test/testIOVDelete.cc
+++ b/CondCore/IOVService/test/testIOVDelete.cc
@@ -42,7 +42,10 @@ int main(){
     pooldb.transaction().commit();
   }catch(const cond::Exception& er){
     std::cout<<"error "<<er.what()<<std::endl;
+    return -1;
   }catch(const std::exception& er){
     std::cout<<"std error "<<er.what()<<std::endl;
+    return -1;
   }
+  return 0;
 }
diff --git a/CondCore/IOVService/test/testIOVEditor.cc b/CondCore/IOVService/test/testIOVEditor.cc
index 393d67f88e353..02028eaea48d2 100644
--- a/CondCore/IOVService/test/testIOVEditor.cc
+++ b/CondCore/IOVService/test/testIOVEditor.cc
@@ -196,7 +196,10 @@ int main(){
 
   }catch(const cond::Exception& er){
     std::cout<<"error "<<er.what()<<std::endl;
+    return -1;
   }catch(const std::exception& er){
     std::cout<<"std error "<<er.what()<<std::endl;
+    return -1;
   }
+  return 0;
 }
diff --git a/CondCore/IOVService/test/testIOVIterator.cc b/CondCore/IOVService/test/testIOVIterator.cc
index 64d7f50b56462..26389db6e884f 100644
--- a/CondCore/IOVService/test/testIOVIterator.cc
+++ b/CondCore/IOVService/test/testIOVIterator.cc
@@ -202,7 +202,10 @@ int main(){
     }
   }catch(const cond::Exception& er){
     std::cout<<"error "<<er.what()<<std::endl;
+    return -1;
   }catch(const std::exception& er){
     std::cout<<"std error "<<er.what()<<std::endl;
+    return -1;
   }
+  return 0;
 }
diff --git a/CondCore/IOVService/test/testIOVReplaceInterval.cc b/CondCore/IOVService/test/testIOVReplaceInterval.cc
index 05a29a8af9e84..332ee10d469fe 100644
--- a/CondCore/IOVService/test/testIOVReplaceInterval.cc
+++ b/CondCore/IOVService/test/testIOVReplaceInterval.cc
@@ -88,7 +88,10 @@ int main(){
     delete session;
   }catch(const cond::Exception& er){
     std::cout<<"error "<<er.what()<<std::endl;
+    return -1;
   }catch(const std::exception& er){
     std::cout<<"std error "<<er.what()<<std::endl;
+    return -1;
   }
+  return 0;
 }
diff --git a/CondCore/IOVService/test/testqueryPContainer.cc b/CondCore/IOVService/test/testqueryPContainer.cc
index 734e7b1aebade..546c6d2c01000 100644
--- a/CondCore/IOVService/test/testqueryPContainer.cc
+++ b/CondCore/IOVService/test/testqueryPContainer.cc
@@ -40,7 +40,10 @@ int main(){
     }
   }catch(const cond::Exception& er){
     std::cout<<"error "<<er.what()<<std::endl;
+    return -1;
   }catch(const std::exception& er){
     std::cout<<"std error "<<er.what()<<std::endl;
+    return -1;
   }
+  return 0;
 }
diff --git a/CondCore/ORA/test/TestBase.h b/CondCore/ORA/test/TestBase.h
index 7fb8e7706a282..ad7adac2b48a2 100644
--- a/CondCore/ORA/test/TestBase.h
+++ b/CondCore/ORA/test/TestBase.h
@@ -44,6 +44,7 @@ namespace ora {
 	serializer.release();
       }catch ( const std::exception& exc ){
 	std::cout << "### TEST "<<m_testName<<" ERROR: "<<exc.what()<<std::endl;      
+        exit(-1);
       }
     }