diff --git a/integration/test_script.py b/integration/test_script.py
index 7c9902db2..625839580 100755
--- a/integration/test_script.py
+++ b/integration/test_script.py
@@ -35,22 +35,32 @@ def test(script_file: str):
     print(cmd)
     result = subprocess.run(cmd, stdout=subprocess.PIPE, stderr=subprocess.PIPE)
 
-    test_exit_code(os.path.splitext(script_file)[0] + ".exit", result)
-    test_stdout(os.path.splitext(script_file)[0] + ".out", result)
-    test_stdout_pattern(os.path.splitext(script_file)[0] + ".out.pattern", result)
-    test_stderr(os.path.splitext(script_file)[0] + ".err", result)
-    test_stderr_pattern(os.path.splitext(script_file)[0] + ".err.pattern", result)
+    basename = os.path.splitext(script_file)[0]
+
+    _continue = test_exit_code(f"{basename}.exit", result)
+    if not _continue:
+        print(f"{cmd} - skipped")
+        return
+    test_stdout(f"{basename}.out", result)
+    test_stdout_pattern(f"{basename}.out.pattern", result)
+    test_stderr(f"{basename}.err", result)
+    test_stderr_pattern(f"{basename}.err.pattern", result)
 
 
-def test_exit_code(f, result) -> int:
-    """test exit code"""
+def test_exit_code(f: str, result: subprocess.CompletedProcess) -> bool:
+    """Test actual exit code `result` against an expected exit code in file `f`"""
     if os.path.exists(f):
         expected = int(open(f, encoding="utf-8").read().strip())
     else:
         expected = 0
-    if result.returncode != expected:
+    actual = result.returncode
+    # Exit code 255 is the signal to skip test.
+    if actual == 255:
+        return False
+
+    if actual != expected:
         print(">>> error in return code")
-        print(f"expected: {expected}  actual:{result.returncode}")
+        print(f"expected: {expected}  actual:{actual}")
         stderr = decode_string(result.stderr).strip()
         if stderr != "":
             print(stderr)
@@ -60,7 +70,7 @@ def test_exit_code(f, result) -> int:
 
         sys.exit(1)
 
-    return expected
+    return True
 
 
 def test_stdout(f, result):
diff --git a/integration/tests_failed/aws_sigv4_option.sh b/integration/tests_failed/aws_sigv4_option.sh
index 3bc77ebf2..ab3a8102c 100755
--- a/integration/tests_failed/aws_sigv4_option.sh
+++ b/integration/tests_failed/aws_sigv4_option.sh
@@ -7,8 +7,7 @@ set +eo pipefail
 # simply  ignore test if option is available on the system
 # FIXME: remove this test once all integration test targets have aws-sigv4 support in libcurl
 if curl --aws-sigv4 2>&1 | grep -qv 'option --aws-sigv4: is unknown'; then
-    cat tests_failed/aws_sigv4_option.err >&2
-    exit 3
+    exit 255
 fi
 
 set -Eeuo pipefail
diff --git a/integration/tests_ok/aws_sigv4_option.sh b/integration/tests_ok/aws_sigv4_option.sh
index 9bf6dae64..970310318 100755
--- a/integration/tests_ok/aws_sigv4_option.sh
+++ b/integration/tests_ok/aws_sigv4_option.sh
@@ -6,7 +6,7 @@ set +eo pipefail
 # simply ignore test
 # FIXME: remove this workaround once all integration test targets have aws-sigv4 support in libcurl
 if curl --aws-sigv4 2>&1 | grep -q 'option --aws-sigv4: is unknown'; then
-    exit 0
+    exit 255
 fi
 set -Eeuo pipefail
 
diff --git a/integration/tests_ok/http_version_2_option.ps1 b/integration/tests_ok/http_version_2_option.ps1
index 99f111ba0..c784d3e78 100755
--- a/integration/tests_ok/http_version_2_option.ps1
+++ b/integration/tests_ok/http_version_2_option.ps1
@@ -4,7 +4,7 @@ $ErrorActionPreference = 'Stop'
 $ErrorActionPreference = 'Continue'
 curl --version | grep Features | grep -q HTTP2
 if ($LASTEXITCODE -eq 1) {
-  exit 0
+  exit 255
 }
 $ErrorActionPreference = 'Stop'
 
diff --git a/integration/tests_ok/http_version_2_option.sh b/integration/tests_ok/http_version_2_option.sh
index 528accbea..37075ade4 100755
--- a/integration/tests_ok/http_version_2_option.sh
+++ b/integration/tests_ok/http_version_2_option.sh
@@ -4,7 +4,7 @@ set -Eeuo pipefail
 set +eo pipefail
 curl --version | grep Features | grep -q HTTP2
 if [ $? -eq 1 ]; then
-  exit 0
+  exit 255
 fi
 set -Eeuo pipefail
 
diff --git a/integration/tests_ok/http_version_3_option.ps1 b/integration/tests_ok/http_version_3_option.ps1
index 680c9dc29..dddac89fb 100755
--- a/integration/tests_ok/http_version_3_option.ps1
+++ b/integration/tests_ok/http_version_3_option.ps1
@@ -4,7 +4,7 @@ $ErrorActionPreference = 'Stop'
 $ErrorActionPreference = 'Continue'
 curl --version | grep Features | grep -q HTTP3
 if ($LASTEXITCODE -eq 1) {
-  exit 0
+  exit 255
 }
 $ErrorActionPreference = 'Stop'
 
diff --git a/integration/tests_ok/http_version_3_option.sh b/integration/tests_ok/http_version_3_option.sh
index 2e19a3e8a..476b331e3 100755
--- a/integration/tests_ok/http_version_3_option.sh
+++ b/integration/tests_ok/http_version_3_option.sh
@@ -4,7 +4,7 @@ set -Eeuo pipefail
 set +eo pipefail
 curl --version | grep Features | grep -q HTTP3
 if [ $? -eq 1 ]; then
-  exit 0
+  exit 255
 fi
 set -Eeuo pipefail