diff --git a/.gitea/workflows/gentoo-utils.yml b/.gitea/workflows/gentoo-utils.yml
index c9f56ac..e54ddd0 100644
--- a/.gitea/workflows/gentoo-utils.yml
+++ b/.gitea/workflows/gentoo-utils.yml
@@ -4,7 +4,7 @@ on: [push]
 
 defaults:
   run:
-    shell: bash -le -o pipefail {0}
+    shell: bash -l {0}
 
 jobs:
   build-oci-image:
@@ -191,5 +191,14 @@ jobs:
         uses: actions/checkout@v5
 
       - name: grep for patterns
+        # negate git grep ret code because 1 means no findings
         run: |
-          git grep -E 'todo!|dbg!' -- '*.rs' && exit 1 || exit 0
+          echo "if git --no-pager grep -E 'todo!|dbg!' -- '*.rs'..."
+          if git --no-pager grep -E 'todo!|dbg!' -- '*.rs'; then
+            echo "EXIT 0 WE GOT HERE PIPELINE"
+            exit 0
+          else
+            echo "EXIT 1 WE GOT HERE PIPELINE"
+            exit 1
+          fi
+