diff --git a/test/sharness/t0040-add-and-cat.sh b/test/sharness/t0040-add-and-cat.sh
index 04f535cd7ba..adc930ec301 100755
--- a/test/sharness/t0040-add-and-cat.sh
+++ b/test/sharness/t0040-add-and-cat.sh
@@ -98,7 +98,8 @@ test_add_cat_5MB() {
     '
 
     test_expect_success "'ipfs add bigfile' succeeds" '
-    	ipfs add mountdir/bigfile >actual
+    	ipfs add mountdir/bigfile >actual ||
+		test_fsh cat daemon_err
     '
 
     test_expect_success "'ipfs add bigfile' output looks good" '
diff --git a/test/sharness/t0110-gateway.sh b/test/sharness/t0110-gateway.sh
index 7556ef4d45a..518750be0d3 100755
--- a/test/sharness/t0110-gateway.sh
+++ b/test/sharness/t0110-gateway.sh
@@ -21,9 +21,13 @@ apiport=$API_PORT
 # define a function to test a gateway, and do so for each port.
 # for now we check 5001 here as 5002 will be checked in gateway-writable.
 
-test_expect_success "GET IPFS path succeeds" '
+test_expect_success "Make a file to test with" '
   echo "Hello Worlds!" >expected &&
-  HASH=$(ipfs add -q expected) &&
+  HASH=$(ipfs add -q expected) ||
+	test_fsh cat daemon_err
+'
+
+test_expect_success "GET IPFS path succeeds" '
   curl -sfo actual "http://127.0.0.1:$port/ipfs/$HASH"
 '