diff --git a/tests/fenced-local-force-unmount.sh b/tests/fenced-local-force-unmount.sh
index f5553be1..cf879b85 100755
--- a/tests/fenced-local-force-unmount.sh
+++ b/tests/fenced-local-force-unmount.sh
@@ -8,36 +8,34 @@
 
 echo "$0 running rid '$SCOUTFS_FENCED_REQ_RID' ip '$SCOUTFS_FENCED_REQ_IP' args '$@'"
 
-log() {
-	echo "$@" > /dev/stderr
+echo_fail() {
+	echo "$@" >> /dev/stderr
 	exit 1
 }
 
-echo_fail() {
-	echo "$@" > /dev/stderr
-	exit 1
+# silence error messages
+quiet_cat()
+{
+	cat "$@" 2>/dev/null
 }
 
 rid="$SCOUTFS_FENCED_REQ_RID"
 
+shopt -s nullglob
 for fs in /sys/fs/scoutfs/*; do
-	[ ! -d "$fs" ] && continue
+	fs_rid="$(quiet_cat $fs/rid)"
+	nr="$(quiet_cat $fs/data_device_maj_min)"
+	[ ! -d "$fs" -o "$fs_rid" != "$rid" ] && continue
 
-	fs_rid="$(cat $fs/rid)" || \
-		echo_fail "failed to get rid in $fs"
-	if [ "$fs_rid" != "$rid" ]; then
-		continue
-	fi
-
-	nr="$(cat $fs/data_device_maj_min)" || \
-		echo_fail "failed to get data device major:minor in $fs"
-
-	mnts=$(findmnt -l -n -t scoutfs -o TARGET -S $nr) || \
+	mnt=$(findmnt -l -n -t scoutfs -o TARGET -S $nr) || \
 		echo_fail "findmnt -t scoutfs -S $nr failed"
-	for mnt in $mnts; do
-		umount -f "$mnt" || \
-			echo_fail "umout -f $mnt failed"
-	done
+	[ -z "$mnt" ] && continue
+
+	if ! umount -qf "$mnt"; then
+		if [ -d "$fs" ]; then
+			echo_fail "umount -qf $mnt failed"
+		fi
+	fi
 done
 
 exit 0
diff --git a/utils/fenced/scoutfs-fenced b/utils/fenced/scoutfs-fenced
index fa866e25..5070de4f 100755
--- a/utils/fenced/scoutfs-fenced
+++ b/utils/fenced/scoutfs-fenced
@@ -7,7 +7,7 @@ message_output()
 
 error_message()
 {
-	message_output "$@" >&2
+	message_output "$@" >> /dev/stderr
 }
 
 error_exit()
@@ -62,31 +62,27 @@ test -x "$SCOUTFS_FENCED_RUN" || \
 # files disappear.
 #
 
-# generate failure messages to stderr while still echoing 0 for the caller
-careful_cat()
+# silence error messages
+quiet_cat()
 {
-	local path="$@"
-
-	cat "$@" || echo 0
+	cat "$@" 2>/dev/null
 }
 
 while sleep $SCOUTFS_FENCED_DELAY; do
+	shopt -s nullglob
 	for fence in /sys/fs/scoutfs/*/fence/*; do
-		# catches unmatched regex when no dirs
-		if [ ! -d "$fence" ]; then
-			continue
-		fi
-
-		# skip requests that have been handled
-		if [ "$(careful_cat $fence/fenced)" == 1 -o \
-		     "$(careful_cat $fence/error)" == 1 ]; then
-			continue
-		fi
 
 		srv=$(basename $(dirname $(dirname $fence)))
-		rid="$(cat $fence/rid)"
-		ip="$(cat $fence/ipv4_addr)"
-		reason="$(cat $fence/reason)"
+		fenced="$(quiet_cat $fence/fenced)"
+		error="$(quiet_cat $fence/error)"
+		rid="$(quiet_cat $fence/rid)"
+		ip="$(quiet_cat $fence/ipv4_addr)"
+		reason="$(quiet_cat $fence/reason)"
+
+		# request dirs can linger then disappear after fenced/error is set
+		if [ ! -d "$fence" -o "$fenced" == "1" -o "$error" == "1" ]; then
+			continue
+		fi
 
 		log_message "server $srv fencing rid $rid at IP $ip for $reason"