diff --git a/.tangled/workflows/check.yml b/.tangled/workflows/check.yml
index 7455ed66..37eb9d11 100644
--- a/.tangled/workflows/check.yml
+++ b/.tangled/workflows/check.yml
@@ -102,25 +102,22 @@ steps:
 
   - name: "spec header hygiene"
     command: |
-      set -euo pipefail
+      set -uo pipefail
       log=/tangled/workspace/spec-headers.log
-      {
-        fail=0
-        for f in spec/*.md; do
-          base=$(basename "$f")
-          [ "$base" = "README.md" ] && continue
-          [ "$base" = "meta.md" ] && continue
-          [ "$base" = "ROADMAP.md" ] && continue
-          for field in "Status:" "Stage:" "Constitution:" "Depends on:"; do
-            grep -q "^$field\| $field" "$f" || { echo "FAIL: $f missing '$field'"; fail=1; }
-          done
-          grep -qi "acceptance criteria" "$f" || {
-            echo "FAIL: $f has no acceptance criteria (truncated draft?)"; fail=1;
-          }
+      fail=0
+      for f in spec/*.md; do
+        base=$(basename "$f")
+        [ "$base" = "README.md" ] && continue
+        [ "$base" = "meta.md" ] && continue
+        [ "$base" = "ROADMAP.md" ] && continue
+        for field in "Status:" "Stage:" "Constitution:" "Depends on:"; do
+          grep -q "^$field\| $field" "$f" || { echo "FAIL: $f missing '$field'" | tee -a "$log"; fail=1; }
         done
-        exit "$fail"
-      } > "$log" 2>&1
-      if [ $? -eq 0 ]; then
+        grep -qi "acceptance criteria" "$f" || {
+          echo "FAIL: $f has no acceptance criteria (truncated draft?)" | tee -a "$log"; fail=1;
+        }
+      done
+      if [ "$fail" -eq 0 ]; then
         echo "spec header hygiene: OK"
       else
         echo "=== spec header hygiene FAILED ==="