diff --git a/scripts/validation/historiangw-131/README.md b/scripts/validation/historiangw-131/README.md
index acb8207c..d308fb7c 100644
--- a/scripts/validation/historiangw-131/README.md
+++ b/scripts/validation/historiangw-131/README.md
@@ -34,10 +34,17 @@ package release. At initial inspection, both feed indexes listed exactly
 git apply --check scripts/validation/historiangw-131/consumer-1.0.0.patch
 git apply scripts/validation/historiangw-131/consumer-1.0.0.patch
 # From the consumer checkout, using a fresh run/results directory:
+hg131_results=/absolute/fresh/results
+test ! -e "$hg131_results" || exit 2
+mkdir -p "$hg131_results" || exit
+hg131_test_status=0
 dotnet test tests/Drivers/ZB.MOM.WW.OtOpcUa.Driver.Historian.Gateway.Tests \
-  -c Release --logger trx --results-directory /absolute/fresh/results
-# Preserve dotnet test's exit; run the repository execution-count guard separately.
-MIN_EXECUTED=1 bash scripts/ci/assert-not-all-skipped.sh /absolute/fresh/results/*.trx
+  -c Release --logger trx --results-directory "$hg131_results" || hg131_test_status=$?
+hg131_guard_status=0
+MIN_EXECUTED=1 bash scripts/ci/assert-not-all-skipped.sh "$hg131_results"/*.trx \
+  || hg131_guard_status=$?
+if [ "$hg131_test_status" -ne 0 ]; then exit "$hg131_test_status"; fi
+exit "$hg131_guard_status"
 ```
 
 Published-package verification must use the real 1.0.0 packages, preserve all test