Since 'set -e' is used already, a simpler variation is sufficient: result=$(ldap-query-for-valid-users) echo "($result)" > "/tmp/all-users.sexp" Decouplin

Since 'set -e' is used already, a simpler variation is sufficient: result=$(ldap-query-for-valid-users) echo "($result)" > "/tmp/all-users.sexp" Decoupling the process substitution from another invocation allows the error to be detected.