diff --git a/test/100_cross_hosts_test.sh b/test/100_cross_hosts_test.sh
index 13789bbd..faa445e5 100755
--- a/test/100_cross_hosts_test.sh
+++ b/test/100_cross_hosts_test.sh
@@ -18,7 +18,6 @@ weave_on $HOST2 launch $HOST1
 
 weave_on $HOST2 run $C2/24 -t --name=c2 ubuntu
 weave_on $HOST1 run $C1/24 -t --name=c1 ubuntu
-ok=$(exec_on $HOST1 c1 ping -q -c 4 $C2 >&2 && echo ok)
-assert "echo $ok" "ok"
+assert_raises "exec_on $HOST1 c1 ping -q -c 4 $C2"
 
 end_suite
diff --git a/test/110_encryption_test.sh b/test/110_encryption_test.sh
index 79831acf..2e604984 100755
--- a/test/110_encryption_test.sh
+++ b/test/110_encryption_test.sh
@@ -18,7 +18,6 @@ weave_on $HOST2 launch -password notverysecure $HOST1
 
 weave_on $HOST2 run $C2/24 -t --name=c2 ubuntu
 weave_on $HOST1 run $C1/24 -t --name=c1 ubuntu
-ok=$(exec_on $HOST1 c1 ping -q -c 4 $C2 >&2 && echo ok)
-assert "echo $ok" "ok"
+assert_raises "exec_on $HOST1 c1 ping -q -c 4 $C2"
 
 end_suite
diff --git a/test/config.sh b/test/config.sh
index c20f55a6..c67896ba 100644
--- a/test/config.sh
+++ b/test/config.sh
@@ -2,6 +2,13 @@
 
 set -e
 
+# Protect against being sourced multiple times to prevent
+# overwriting assert.sh global state
+if ! [ -z "$SOURCED_CONFIG_SH" ]; then
+    return
+fi
+SOURCED_CONFIG_SH=true
+
 # these ought to match what is in Vagrantfile
 N_MACHINES=${N_MACHINES:-2}
 IP_PREFIX=${IP_PREFIX:-192.168.48}
@@ -28,12 +35,29 @@ remote() {
     $@ > >(while read line; do echo -e "\e[0;34m$rem>\e[0m $line"; done)
 }
 
+colourise() {
+    echo -ne '\e['$1'm'
+    shift
+    # It's important that we don't do this in a subshell, as some
+    # commands we execute need to modify global state
+    "$@"
+    echo -ne '\e[0m'
+}
+
 whitely() {
-    echo -e '\e[1;37m'`$@`'\e[0m'
+    colourise '1;37' "$@"
 }
 
 greyly () {
-    echo -e '\e[0;37m'`$@`'\e[0m'
+    colourise '0;37' "$@"
+}
+
+redly() {
+    colourise '1;31' "$@"
+}
+
+greenly() {
+    colourise '1;32' "$@"
 }
 
 run_on() {
diff --git a/test/run_all.sh b/test/run_all.sh
index f69977c1..5ea2755d 100755
--- a/test/run_all.sh
+++ b/test/run_all.sh
@@ -9,6 +9,21 @@ if ! bash ./sanity_check.sh; then
 fi
 whitely echo ...ok
 
+# Modified version of _assert_cleanup from assert.sh that
+# prints overall status
+check_test_status() {
+    if [ $? -ne 0 ]; then
+        redly echo "---= !!!ABNORMAL TEST TERMINATION!!! =---"
+    elif [ $tests_suite_status -ne 0 ]; then
+        redly echo "---= !!!SUITE FAILURES - SEE ABOVE FOR DETAILS!!! =---"
+        exit $tests_suite_status
+    else
+        greenly echo "---= ALL SUITES PASSED =---"
+    fi
+}
+# Overwrite assert.sh _assert_cleanup trap with our own
+trap check_test_status EXIT
+
 for t in *_test.sh; do
     echo
     greyly echo "---= Running $t =---"