diff --git a/tests/common.sh.in b/tests/common.sh.in
index abefb7e25094f5be46a8fdf3b8ebc88e76976e8b..1d473ca0585eb317009315eeb46d51886df68fd7 100644
--- a/tests/common.sh.in
+++ b/tests/common.sh.in
@@ -80,3 +80,5 @@ fail() {
     echo "$1"
     exit 1
 }
+
+set -x
diff --git a/tests/referrers.sh b/tests/referrers.sh
index d4604aec930bd98049083029240b544fca8a2dbe..e57b2d8e31ff3e2a5956caddd73e0679ae081fea 100644
--- a/tests/referrers.sh
+++ b/tests/referrers.sh
@@ -10,6 +10,7 @@ touch $reference
 
 echo "making registration..."
 
+set +x
 for ((n = 0; n < $max; n++)); do
     storePath=$NIX_STORE_DIR/$n
     echo -n > $storePath
@@ -19,6 +20,7 @@ for ((n = 0; n < $max; n++)); do
     fi
     echo $storePath; echo; echo 2; echo $reference; echo $ref2
 done > $TEST_ROOT/reg_info
+set -x
 
 echo "registering..."