diff --git a/contrib/atf/atf-sh/atf-check.cpp b/contrib/atf/atf-sh/atf-check.cpp
--- a/contrib/atf/atf-sh/atf-check.cpp
+++ b/contrib/atf/atf-sh/atf-check.cpp
@@ -74,12 +74,14 @@
     status_check_t type;
     bool negated;
     int value;
+    bool empty;
 
     status_check(const status_check_t& p_type, const bool p_negated,
-                 const int p_value) :
+                 const int p_value, const bool p_empty) :
         type(p_type),
         negated(p_negated),
-        value(p_value)
+        value(p_value),
+        empty(p_empty)
     {
     }
 };
@@ -267,6 +269,7 @@
     const std::string value_str = (
         delimiter == std::string::npos ? "" : arg.substr(delimiter + 1));
     int value;
+    bool empty = false;
 
     status_check_t type;
     if (action == "eq") {
@@ -278,9 +281,10 @@
         value = parse_exit_code(value_str);
     } else if (action == "exit") {
         type = sc_exit;
-        if (value_str.empty())
+        if (value_str.empty()) {
             value = INT_MIN;
-        else
+            empty = true;
+        } else
             value = parse_exit_code(value_str);
     } else if (action == "ignore") {
         if (negated)
@@ -296,14 +300,15 @@
         value = parse_exit_code(value_str);
     } else if (action == "signal") {
         type = sc_signal;
-        if (value_str.empty())
+        if (value_str.empty()) {
             value = INT_MIN;
-        else
+            empty = true;
+        } else
             value = parse_signal(value_str);
     } else
         throw atf::application::usage_error("Invalid status checker");
 
-    return status_check(type, negated, value);
+    return status_check(type, negated, value, empty);
 }
 
 static
@@ -599,7 +604,7 @@
     bool result;
 
     if (sc.type == sc_exit) {
-        if (cr.exited() && sc.value != INT_MIN) {
+        if (cr.exited() && !sc.empty) {
             const int status = cr.exitcode();
 
             if (!sc.negated && sc.value != status) {
@@ -614,7 +619,7 @@
                 result = false;
             } else
                 result = true;
-        } else if (cr.exited() && sc.value == INT_MIN) {
+        } else if (cr.exited() && sc.empty) {
             result = true;
         } else {
             std::cerr << "Fail: program did not exit cleanly\n";
@@ -623,7 +628,7 @@
     } else if (sc.type == sc_ignore) {
         result = true;
     } else if (sc.type == sc_signal) {
-        if (cr.signaled() && sc.value != INT_MIN) {
+        if (cr.signaled() && !sc.empty) {
             const int status = cr.termsig();
 
             if (!sc.negated && sc.value != status) {
@@ -637,7 +642,7 @@
                 result = false;
             } else
                 result = true;
-        } else if (cr.signaled() && sc.value == INT_MIN) {
+        } else if (cr.signaled() && sc.empty) {
             result = true;
         } else {
             std::cerr << "Fail: program did not receive a signal\n";
@@ -903,9 +908,10 @@
 
     int status = EXIT_FAILURE;
 
-    if (m_status_checks.empty())
-        m_status_checks.push_back(status_check(sc_exit, false, EXIT_SUCCESS));
-    else if (m_status_checks.size() > 1) {
+    if (m_status_checks.empty()) {
+        m_status_checks.push_back(status_check(sc_exit, false, EXIT_SUCCESS,
+            false));
+    } else if (m_status_checks.size() > 1) {
         // TODO: Remove this restriction.
         throw atf::application::usage_error("Cannot specify -s more than once");
     }