diff --git a/tests/base_services_start.pm b/tests/base_services_start.pm
index 2c5360ee..bfc8134f 100644
--- a/tests/base_services_start.pm
+++ b/tests/base_services_start.pm
@@ -6,11 +6,19 @@ sub run {
     my $self = shift;
     # switch to TTY3 for both, graphical and console tests
     $self->root_console(tty=>3);
-    my $output = script_output 'systemctl --failed';
-    if ($output =~ /1 loaded units/ && $output =~ /mcelog.service/) {
+    # dump the systemctl output
+    assert_script_run "systemctl --failed | tee /tmp/failed.txt";
+    # if we have 0 failed services, we're good
+    eval "assert_script_run 'grep \"0 loaded units\" /tmp/failed.txt';";
+    return unless $@;
+    # if only mcelog failed, that's a soft fail
+    eval "assert_script_run 'grep \"1 loaded units\" /tmp/failed.txt';";
+    if ($@) {
+	die "More than one services failed to start";
+    }
+    else {
+	assert_script_run "systemctl is-failed mcelog.service";
         record_soft_failure;
-    } elsif (! $output =~ /0 loaded units/) {
-        die "Services other than mcelog failed to load";
     }
 }