diff --git a/usr.bin/renice/tests/renice_test.sh b/usr.bin/renice/tests/renice_test.sh
index 8a4df7879ad4..7983eb594716 100755
--- a/usr.bin/renice/tests/renice_test.sh
+++ b/usr.bin/renice/tests/renice_test.sh
@@ -1,173 +1,174 @@
 #
 # Copyright (c) 2022-2023 Klara, Inc.
 #
 # SPDX-License-Identifier: BSD-2-Clause
 #
 
 # Name of user to use for -u tests when running as root.  Beware that
 # processes owned by that user will be affected by the test.
 TEST_USER=nobody
 
 _renice() {
 	atf_check -o empty -e ignore -s exit:0 renice "$@"
 }
 
 atf_check_nice_value() {
 	local pid=$1
-	local nice=$2
-	atf_check test "$(ps -o nice= -p $pid)" -eq "$nice"
+	local expected=$2
+	local actual="$(ps -o nice= -p $pid)"
+	atf_check test "$actual" -eq "$expected"
 }
 
 atf_test_case renice_abs_pid
 renice_abs_pid_head() {
 	atf_set "descr" "Set a process's nice number to an absolute value"
 }
 renice_abs_pid_body() {
 	local pid nice incr
 	sleep 60 &
 	pid=$!
 	nice="$(ps -o nice= -p $pid)"
 	incr=3
 	_renice $((nice+incr)) $pid
 	atf_check_nice_value $pid $((nice+incr))
 	kill $pid
 }
 
 atf_test_case renice_rel_pid
 renice_rel_pid_head() {
 	atf_set "descr" "Change a process's nice number by a relative value"
 }
 renice_rel_pid_body() {
 	local pid nice incr
 	sleep 60 &
 	pid=$!
 	nice="$(ps -o nice= -p $pid)"
 	incr=3
 	_renice -n $incr $pid
 	_renice -p -n $incr $pid
 	_renice -n $incr -p $pid
 	atf_check_nice_value $pid $((nice+incr+incr+incr))
 	kill $pid
 }
 
 atf_test_case renice_abs_pgid
 renice_abs_pgid_head() {
 	atf_set "descr" "Set a process group's nice number to an absolute value"
 }
 renice_abs_pgid_body() {
 	local pid pgid nice incr
 	# make sure target runs in a different pgrp than ours
-	pid=$(sh -mc "sleep 60 >/dev/null & echo \$!")
+	pid="$(sh -mc "sleep 60 >/dev/null & echo \$!")"
 	pgid="$(ps -o pgid= -p $pid)"
 	nice="$(ps -o nice= -p $pid)"
 	incr=3
 	_renice $((nice+incr)) -g $pgid
 	atf_check_nice_value $pid $((nice+incr))
 	kill $pid
 }
 
 atf_test_case renice_rel_pgid
 renice_rel_pgid_head() {
 	atf_set "descr" "Change a process group's nice number by a relative value"
 }
 renice_rel_pgid_body() {
 	local pid pgid nice incr
 	# make sure target runs in a different pgrp than ours
-	pid=$(sh -mc "sleep 60 >/dev/null & echo \$!")
+	pid="$(sh -mc "sleep 60 >/dev/null & echo \$!")"
 	pgid="$(ps -o pgid= -p $pid)"
 	nice="$(ps -o nice= -p $pid)"
 	incr=3
 	_renice -g -n $incr $pgid
 	_renice -n $incr -g $pgid
 	atf_check_nice_value $pid $((nice+incr+incr))
 	kill $pid
 }
 
 atf_test_case renice_abs_user
 renice_abs_user_head() {
 	atf_set "descr" "Set a user's processes' nice numbers to an absolute value"
 	atf_set "require.user" "root"
 }
 renice_abs_user_body() {
 	local user pid nice incr
-	pid=$(su -m $TEST_USER -c "/bin/sh -c 'sleep 60 >/dev/null & echo \$!'")
+	pid="$(su -m $TEST_USER -c "/bin/sh -c 'sleep 60 >/dev/null & echo \$!'")"
 	nice="$(ps -o nice= -p $pid)"
 	incr=3
 	_renice $((nice+incr)) -u $TEST_USER
 	atf_check_nice_value $pid $((nice+incr))
 	kill $pid
 }
 
 atf_test_case renice_rel_user
 renice_rel_user_head() {
 	atf_set "descr" "Change a user's processes' nice numbers by a relative value"
 	atf_set "require.user" "root"
 }
 renice_rel_user_body() {
 	local user pid nice incr
-	pid=$(su -m $TEST_USER -c "/bin/sh -c 'sleep 60 >/dev/null & echo \$!'")
+	pid="$(su -m $TEST_USER -c "/bin/sh -c 'sleep 60 >/dev/null & echo \$!'")"
 	nice="$(ps -o nice= -p $pid)"
 	incr=3
 	_renice -u -n $incr $TEST_USER
 	_renice -n $incr -u $TEST_USER
 	atf_check_nice_value $pid $((nice+incr+incr))
 	kill $pid
 }
 
 atf_test_case renice_delim
 renice_delim_head() {
 	atf_set "descr" "Test various delimiter positions"
 }
 renice_delim_body() {
 	local pid nice incr
 	sleep 60 &
 	pid=$!
 	nice="$(ps -o nice= -p $pid)"
 	incr=0
 	# without -p
 	: $((incr=incr+1))
 	_renice -- $((nice+incr)) $pid
 	atf_check_nice_value $pid $((nice+incr))
 	: $((incr=incr+1))
 	_renice $((nice+incr)) -- $pid
 	atf_check_nice_value $pid $((nice+incr))
 	: $((incr=incr+1))
 	_renice $((nice+incr)) $pid --
 	atf_check_nice_value $pid $((nice+incr))
 	# with -p
 	: $((incr=incr+1))
 	_renice -p -- $((nice+incr)) $pid
 	atf_check_nice_value $pid $((nice+incr))
 	: $((incr=incr+1))
 	_renice -p $((nice+incr)) -- $pid
 	atf_check_nice_value $pid $((nice+incr))
 	: $((incr=incr+1))
 	_renice -p $((nice+incr)) $pid --
 	atf_check_nice_value $pid $((nice+incr))
 	: $((incr=incr+1))
 	_renice $((nice+incr)) -p -- $pid
 	atf_check_nice_value $pid $((nice+incr))
 	: $((incr=incr+1))
 	_renice $((nice+incr)) -p $pid --
 	atf_check_nice_value $pid $((nice+incr))
 	kill $pid
 }
 
 atf_test_case renice_incr_noarg
 renice_incr_noarg_head() {
 	atf_set "descr" "Do not segfault if -n is given without an argument"
 }
 renice_incr_noarg_body() {
 	atf_check -o empty -e ignore -s exit:1 renice -n
 }
 
 atf_init_test_cases() {
 	atf_add_test_case renice_abs_pid
 	atf_add_test_case renice_rel_pid
 	atf_add_test_case renice_abs_pgid
 	atf_add_test_case renice_rel_pgid
 	atf_add_test_case renice_abs_user
 	atf_add_test_case renice_rel_user
 	atf_add_test_case renice_delim
 	atf_add_test_case renice_incr_noarg
 }