diff --git a/tests/test.sh b/tests/test.sh
index 4087cdceb..c005c0de3 100755
--- a/tests/test.sh
+++ b/tests/test.sh
@@ -1,4 +1,5 @@
 #! /bin/bash
+set -e
 
 # test the counter using a go test script
 bash tests/test_app/test.sh
diff --git a/tests/test_app/main.go b/tests/test_app/main.go
index e6b116168..6c75a37e1 100644
--- a/tests/test_app/main.go
+++ b/tests/test_app/main.go
@@ -23,15 +23,24 @@ func main() {
 	testCounter()
 }
 
-func ensureABCIIsUp(subCommand string, n int) error {
+const (
+	maxABCIConnectTries = 10
+)
+
+func ensureABCIIsUp(typ string, n int) error {
 	var err error
+	cmdString := "abci-cli echo hello"
+	if typ == "grpc" {
+		cmdString = "abci-cli --abci grpc echo hello"
+	}
+
 	for i := 0; i < n; i++ {
-		cmd := exec.Command("bash", "-c", "abci-cli", subCommand)
+		cmd := exec.Command("bash", "-c", cmdString)
 		_, err = cmd.CombinedOutput()
 		if err == nil {
 			break
 		}
-		<-time.After(500 * time.Second)
+		<-time.After(500 * time.Millisecond)
 	}
 	return err
 }
@@ -51,7 +60,7 @@ func testCounter() {
 	defer cmd.Wait()
 	defer cmd.Process.Kill()
 
-	if err := ensureABCIIsUp("echo", 5); err != nil {
+	if err := ensureABCIIsUp(abciType, maxABCIConnectTries); err != nil {
 		log.Fatalf("echo failed: %v", err)
 	}
 
diff --git a/tests/test_cli/test.sh b/tests/test_cli/test.sh
index ea4ea4fa9..f6259148d 100644
--- a/tests/test_cli/test.sh
+++ b/tests/test_cli/test.sh
@@ -1,4 +1,5 @@
 #! /bin/bash
+set -e
 
 # Get the root directory.
 SOURCE="${BASH_SOURCE[0]}"
@@ -9,29 +10,29 @@ DIR="$( cd -P "$( dirname "$SOURCE" )/../.." && pwd )"
 cd "$DIR" || exit
 
 function testExample() {
-	N=$1
-	INPUT=$2
-	APP="$3 $4"
-
-	echo "Example $N: $APP"
-	$APP &> /dev/null &
-	sleep 2
-	abci-cli --verbose batch < "$INPUT" > "${INPUT}.out.new"
-	killall "$3"
-
-	pre=$(shasum < "${INPUT}.out")
-	post=$(shasum < "${INPUT}.out.new")
-
-	if [[ "$pre" != "$post" ]]; then
-		echo "You broke the tutorial"
-		echo "Got:"
-		cat "${INPUT}.out.new"
-		echo "Expected:"
-		cat "${INPUT}.out"
-		exit 1
-	fi
-
-	rm "${INPUT}".out.new
+    N=$1
+    INPUT=$2
+    APP="$3 $4"
+
+    echo "Example $N: $APP"
+    $APP &> /dev/null &
+    sleep 2
+    abci-cli --verbose batch < "$INPUT" > "${INPUT}.out.new"
+    killall "$3"
+
+    pre=$(shasum < "${INPUT}.out")
+    post=$(shasum < "${INPUT}.out.new")
+
+    if [[ "$pre" != "$post" ]]; then
+        echo "You broke the tutorial"
+        echo "Got:"
+        cat "${INPUT}.out.new"
+        echo "Expected:"
+        cat "${INPUT}.out"
+        exit 1
+    fi
+
+    rm "${INPUT}".out.new
 }
 
 testExample 1 tests/test_cli/ex1.abci abci-cli dummy