diff --git a/Tests/scs-compliance-check.py b/Tests/scs-compliance-check.py
index d9125af04..48dabae58 100755
--- a/Tests/scs-compliance-check.py
+++ b/Tests/scs-compliance-check.py
@@ -30,6 +30,7 @@
 import datetime
 import subprocess
 import copy
+from functools import partial
 from itertools import chain
 import yaml
 
@@ -73,7 +74,7 @@ def add_search_path(arg0):
     # os.environ['PATH'] += ":" + MYPATH
 
 
-def run_check_tool(executable, args, os_cloud, verbose=False, quiet=False):
+def run_check_tool(executable, args, env):
     "Run executable and return exit code"
     if executable.startswith("http://") or executable.startswith("https://"):
         print(f"ERROR: remote check_tool {executable} not yet supported", file=sys.stderr)
@@ -93,16 +94,10 @@ def run_check_tool(executable, args, os_cloud, verbose=False, quiet=False):
         exe.extend(shlex.split(args))
     # print(f"{exe}")
     # compl = subprocess.run(exe, capture_output=True, text=True, check=False)
-    env = {'OS_CLOUD': os_cloud, **os.environ}
-    compl = subprocess.run(
+    return subprocess.run(
         exe, stdout=subprocess.PIPE, stderr=subprocess.PIPE,
         encoding='UTF-8', check=False, env=env,
     )
-    if verbose:
-        print(compl.stdout)
-    if not quiet:
-        print(compl.stderr, file=sys.stderr)
-    return compl
 
 
 def errcode_to_text(err):
@@ -184,6 +179,10 @@ def check_keywords(d, ctx, valid=()):
         print(f"ERROR in spec: {ctx} uses unknown keywords: {','.join(invalid)}", file=sys.stderr)
 
 
+def suppress(*args, **kwargs):
+    return
+
+
 def main(argv):
     """Entry point for the checker"""
     config = Config()
@@ -191,6 +190,9 @@ def main(argv):
     if not config.os_cloud:
         print("You need to have OS_CLOUD set or pass --os-cloud=CLOUD.", file=sys.stderr)
         return 1
+    check_env = {'OS_CLOUD': config.os_cloud, **os.environ}
+    printv = suppress if not config.verbose else partial(print, file=sys.stderr)
+    printnq = suppress if config.quiet else partial(print, file=sys.stderr)
     with open(config.arg0, "r", encoding="UTF-8") as specfile:
         specdict = yaml.load(specfile, Loader=yaml.SafeLoader)
     allaborts = 0
@@ -216,15 +218,9 @@ def main(argv):
         futuristic = not stb_date or config.checkdate < stb_date
         outdated = obs_date and obs_date < config.checkdate
         vd.update({
-            "status": "n/a",
+            "status": outdated and "outdated" or futuristic and "preview" or "valid",
             "passed": False,
         })
-        if outdated:
-            vd["status"] = "outdated"
-        elif futuristic:
-            vd["status"] = "preview"
-        else:
-            vd["status"] = "valid"
         if outdated and not config.version:
             continue
         matches += 1
@@ -232,24 +228,21 @@ def main(argv):
             print(f"WARNING: Forced version {config.version} outdated", file=sys.stderr)
         if config.version and futuristic:
             print(f"INFO: Forced version {config.version} not (yet) stable", file=sys.stderr)
-        if not config.quiet:
-            print(f"Testing {specdict['name']} version {vd['version']}")
+        printnq(f"Testing {specdict['name']} version {vd['version']}")
         if "standards" not in vd:
             print(f"WARNING: No standards defined yet for {specdict['name']} version {vd['version']}",
                   file=sys.stderr)
         errors = 0
         aborts = 0
-        for standard in vd["standards"]:
+        for standard in vd.get("standards", ()):
             check_keywords(standard, 'standard', KEYWORDS_STANDARD)
             optional = condition_optional(standard)
-            if not config.quiet:
-                print("*******************************************************")
-                print(f"Testing {'optional ' * optional}standard {standard['name']} ...")
-                print(f"Reference: {standard['url']} ...")
+            printnq("*******************************************************")
+            printnq(f"Testing {'optional ' * optional}standard {standard['name']} ...")
+            printnq(f"Reference: {standard['url']} ...")
             if "check_tools" not in standard:
-                print(f"WARNING: No compliance check tool implemented yet for {standard['name']}")
-                continue
-            for check in standard["check_tools"]:
+                printnq(f"WARNING: No check tool specified for {standard['name']}", file=sys.stderr)
+            for check in standard.get("check_tools", ()):
                 check_keywords(check, 'checktool', KEYWORDS_CHECKTOOL)
                 if check.get("classification", "light") not in config.classes:
                     print(f"skipping check tool '{check['executable']}' because of resource classification")
@@ -258,7 +251,9 @@ def main(argv):
                 memo_key = f"{check['executable']} {args}".strip()
                 invokation = memo.get(memo_key)
                 if invokation is None:
-                    compl = run_check_tool(check["executable"], args, config.os_cloud, config.verbose, config.quiet)
+                    compl = run_check_tool(check["executable"], args, check_env)
+                    printv(compl.stdout)
+                    printnq(compl.stderr)
                     invokation = {
                         "rc": compl.returncode,
                         "stdout": compl.stdout.splitlines(),
@@ -273,8 +268,7 @@ def main(argv):
                     memo[memo_key] = invokation
                 abort = invokation["critical"]
                 error = invokation["error"]
-                if not config.quiet:
-                    print(f"... returned {error} errors")
+                printnq(f"... returned {error} errors, {abort} aborts")
                 check["aborts"] = abort
                 check["errors"] = error
                 if not condition_optional(check, optional):
@@ -283,10 +277,9 @@ def main(argv):
         vd["aborts"] = errors
         vd["errors"] = errors
         vd["passed"] = not (aborts + errors)
-        if not config.quiet:
-            print("*******************************************************")
-            print(f"Verdict for os_cloud {config.os_cloud}, {specdict['name']}, "
-                  f"version {vd['version']}: {errcode_to_text(aborts + errors)}")
+        printnq("*******************************************************")
+        printnq(f"Verdict for os_cloud {config.os_cloud}, {specdict['name']}, "
+                f"version {vd['version']}: {errcode_to_text(aborts + errors)}")
         allaborts += aborts
         allerrors += errors
     if not matches: