diff --git a/gdb/testsuite/gdb.trace/stap-trace.exp b/gdb/testsuite/gdb.trace/stap-trace.exp
index 562eec4..088d14c 100644
--- a/gdb/testsuite/gdb.trace/stap-trace.exp
+++ b/gdb/testsuite/gdb.trace/stap-trace.exp
@@ -46,8 +46,10 @@ proc compile_stap_bin {exec_name {arg ""}} {
 	    "$binfile_dir/$exec_name" \
 	    executable [concat $arg debug nowarnings]] != "" } {
 	untested "Could not compile ${srcfile}"
-	return -1
+	return 0
     }
+
+    return 1
 }
 
 proc prepare_for_trace_test {} {
@@ -105,7 +107,10 @@ proc gdb_collect_probe_arg { msg probe val_arg0 } {
 	    "collect $msg: collected probe arg0"
 }
 
-compile_stap_bin "stap-probe-nosem"
+if {![compile_stap_bin "stap-probe-nosem"]} {
+    # An appropriate failure message has already been output
+    return -1
+}
 
 clean_restart $executable
 if { ![runto_main] } {