diff --git a/tools/testing/selftests/livepatch/functions.sh b/tools/testing/selftests/livepatch/functions.sh
index 408529d94ddb..1aba83c87ad3 100644
--- a/tools/testing/selftests/livepatch/functions.sh
+++ b/tools/testing/selftests/livepatch/functions.sh
@@ -75,7 +75,8 @@ function set_dynamic_debug() {
 }
 
 function set_ftrace_enabled() {
-	result=$(sysctl kernel.ftrace_enabled="$1" 2>&1 | paste --serial --delimiters=' ')
+	result=$(sysctl -q kernel.ftrace_enabled="$1" 2>&1 && \
+		 sysctl kernel.ftrace_enabled 2>&1)
 	echo "livepatch: $result" > /dev/kmsg
 }
 
diff --git a/tools/testing/selftests/livepatch/test-ftrace.sh b/tools/testing/selftests/livepatch/test-ftrace.sh
index 9160c9ec3b6f..552e165512f4 100755
--- a/tools/testing/selftests/livepatch/test-ftrace.sh
+++ b/tools/testing/selftests/livepatch/test-ftrace.sh
@@ -51,7 +51,7 @@ livepatch: '$MOD_LIVEPATCH': initializing patching transition
 livepatch: '$MOD_LIVEPATCH': starting patching transition
 livepatch: '$MOD_LIVEPATCH': completing patching transition
 livepatch: '$MOD_LIVEPATCH': patching complete
-livepatch: sysctl: setting key \"kernel.ftrace_enabled\": Device or resource busy kernel.ftrace_enabled = 0
+livepatch: sysctl: setting key \"kernel.ftrace_enabled\": Device or resource busy
 % echo 0 > /sys/kernel/livepatch/$MOD_LIVEPATCH/enabled
 livepatch: '$MOD_LIVEPATCH': initializing unpatching transition
 livepatch: '$MOD_LIVEPATCH': starting unpatching transition