diff --git a/tools/testing/selftests/net/rtnetlink.sh b/tools/testing/selftests/net/rtnetlink.sh
index bdbf4b3125b6..9db66bef6f1e 100755
--- a/tools/testing/selftests/net/rtnetlink.sh
+++ b/tools/testing/selftests/net/rtnetlink.sh
@@ -5,7 +5,6 @@
 # set -e
 
 devdummy="test-dummy0"
-ret=0
 
 # Kselftest framework requirement - SKIP code is 4.
 ksft_skip=4
@@ -66,7 +65,7 @@ kci_test_bridge()
 	devbr="test-br0"
 	vlandev="testbr-vlan1"
 
-	ret=0
+	local ret=0
 	ip link add name "$devbr" type bridge
 	check_err $?
 
@@ -113,7 +112,7 @@ kci_test_gre()
 	rem=10.42.42.1
 	loc=10.0.0.1
 
-	ret=0
+	local ret=0
 	ip tunnel add $gredev mode gre remote $rem local $loc ttl 1
 	check_err $?
 	ip link set $gredev up
@@ -149,7 +148,7 @@ kci_test_gre()
 kci_test_tc()
 {
 	dev=lo
-	ret=0
+	local ret=0
 
 	tc qdisc add dev "$dev" root handle 1: htb
 	check_err $?
@@ -184,7 +183,7 @@ kci_test_tc()
 
 kci_test_polrouting()
 {
-	ret=0
+	local ret=0
 	ip rule add fwmark 1 lookup 100
 	check_err $?
 	ip route add local 0.0.0.0/0 dev lo table 100
@@ -207,7 +206,7 @@ kci_test_route_get()
 {
 	local hash_policy=$(sysctl -n net.ipv4.fib_multipath_hash_policy)
 
-	ret=0
+	local ret=0
 
 	ip route get 127.0.0.1 > /dev/null
 	check_err $?
@@ -290,7 +289,7 @@ kci_test_promote_secondaries()
 
 kci_test_addrlabel()
 {
-	ret=0
+	local ret=0
 
 	ip addrlabel add prefix dead::/64 dev lo label 1
 	check_err $?
@@ -330,7 +329,7 @@ kci_test_addrlabel()
 
 kci_test_ifalias()
 {
-	ret=0
+	local ret=0
 	namewant=$(uuidgen)
 	syspathname="/sys/class/net/$devdummy/ifalias"
 
@@ -385,7 +384,7 @@ kci_test_ifalias()
 kci_test_vrf()
 {
 	vrfname="test-vrf"
-	ret=0
+	local ret=0
 
 	ip link show type vrf 2>/dev/null
 	if [ $? -ne 0 ]; then
@@ -425,7 +424,7 @@ kci_test_vrf()
 
 kci_test_encap_vxlan()
 {
-	ret=0
+	local ret=0
 	vxlan="test-vxlan0"
 	vlan="test-vlan0"
 	testns="$1"
@@ -511,7 +510,7 @@ kci_test_encap_vxlan()
 
 kci_test_encap_fou()
 {
-	ret=0
+	local ret=0
 	name="test-fou"
 	testns="$1"
 
@@ -548,7 +547,7 @@ kci_test_encap_fou()
 kci_test_encap()
 {
 	testns="testns"
-	ret=0
+	local ret=0
 
 	ip netns add "$testns"
 	if [ $? -ne 0 ]; then
@@ -573,7 +572,7 @@ kci_test_encap()
 kci_test_macsec()
 {
 	msname="test_macsec0"
-	ret=0
+	local ret=0
 
 	ip macsec help 2>&1 | grep -q "^Usage: ip macsec"
 	if [ $? -ne 0 ]; then
@@ -631,7 +630,7 @@ kci_test_macsec()
 #-------------------------------------------------------------------
 kci_test_ipsec()
 {
-	ret=0
+	local ret=0
 	algo="aead rfc4106(gcm(aes)) 0x3132333435363738393031323334353664636261 128"
 	srcip=192.168.123.1
 	dstip=192.168.123.2
@@ -731,7 +730,7 @@ kci_test_ipsec()
 #-------------------------------------------------------------------
 kci_test_ipsec_offload()
 {
-	ret=0
+	local ret=0
 	algo="aead rfc4106(gcm(aes)) 0x3132333435363738393031323334353664636261 128"
 	srcip=192.168.123.3
 	dstip=192.168.123.4
@@ -841,7 +840,7 @@ kci_test_gretap()
 {
 	testns="testns"
 	DEV_NS=gretap00
-	ret=0
+	local ret=0
 
 	ip netns add "$testns"
 	if [ $? -ne 0 ]; then
@@ -891,7 +890,7 @@ kci_test_ip6gretap()
 {
 	testns="testns"
 	DEV_NS=ip6gretap00
-	ret=0
+	local ret=0
 
 	ip netns add "$testns"
 	if [ $? -ne 0 ]; then
@@ -941,7 +940,7 @@ kci_test_erspan()
 {
 	testns="testns"
 	DEV_NS=erspan00
-	ret=0
+	local ret=0
 
 	ip link help erspan 2>&1 | grep -q "^Usage:"
 	if [ $? -ne 0 ];then
@@ -1006,7 +1005,7 @@ kci_test_ip6erspan()
 {
 	testns="testns"
 	DEV_NS=ip6erspan00
-	ret=0
+	local ret=0
 
 	ip link help ip6erspan 2>&1 | grep -q "^Usage:"
 	if [ $? -ne 0 ];then
@@ -1077,7 +1076,7 @@ kci_test_fdb_get()
 	test_mac=de:ad:be:ef:13:37
 	localip="10.0.2.2"
 	dstip="10.0.2.3"
-	ret=0
+	local ret=0
 
 	bridge fdb help 2>&1 |grep -q 'bridge fdb get'
 	if [ $? -ne 0 ];then
@@ -1125,7 +1124,7 @@ kci_test_neigh_get()
 	dstmac=de:ad:be:ef:13:37
 	dstip=10.0.2.4
 	dstip6=dead::2
-	ret=0
+	local ret=0
 
 	ip neigh help 2>&1 |grep -q 'ip neigh get'
 	if [ $? -ne 0 ];then
@@ -1175,6 +1174,7 @@ kci_test_neigh_get()
 
 kci_test_rtnl()
 {
+	local ret=0
 	kci_add_dummy
 	if [ $ret -ne 0 ];then
 		echo "FAIL: cannot add dummy interface"
@@ -1182,27 +1182,48 @@ kci_test_rtnl()
 	fi
 
 	kci_test_polrouting
+	check_err $?
 	kci_test_route_get
+	check_err $?
 	kci_test_addrlft
+	check_err $?
 	kci_test_promote_secondaries
+	check_err $?
 	kci_test_tc
+	check_err $?
 	kci_test_gre
+	check_err $?
 	kci_test_gretap
+	check_err $?
 	kci_test_ip6gretap
+	check_err $?
 	kci_test_erspan
+	check_err $?
 	kci_test_ip6erspan
+	check_err $?
 	kci_test_bridge
+	check_err $?
 	kci_test_addrlabel
+	check_err $?
 	kci_test_ifalias
+	check_err $?
 	kci_test_vrf
+	check_err $?
 	kci_test_encap
+	check_err $?
 	kci_test_macsec
+	check_err $?
 	kci_test_ipsec
+	check_err $?
 	kci_test_ipsec_offload
+	check_err $?
 	kci_test_fdb_get
+	check_err $?
 	kci_test_neigh_get
+	check_err $?
 
 	kci_del_dummy
+	return $ret
 }
 
 #check for needed privileges
@@ -1221,4 +1242,4 @@ done
 
 kci_test_rtnl
 
-exit $ret
+exit $?