diff --git a/t/helper/test-strcmp-offset.c b/t/helper/test-strcmp-offset.c
index c50d99947b..56fd8c1e41 100644
--- a/t/helper/test-strcmp-offset.c
+++ b/t/helper/test-strcmp-offset.c
@@ -23,23 +23,28 @@ int try_pair(const char *sa, const char *sb, int first_change)
 {
 	int failed = 0;
 	int offset, r_exp, r_tst;
-	
+
 	r_exp = strcmp(sa, sb);
 	r_tst = strcmp_offset(sa, sb, &offset);
 	if (r_tst != r_exp) {
-		error("FAIL: '%s' vs '%s', result expect %d, observed %d\n",
-			  sa, sb, r_exp, r_tst);
-		failed = 1;
+		if ((r_tst < 0 && r_exp < 0) || (r_tst > 0 && r_exp > 0))
+			warning("'%s' vs '%s', imprecise result: %d != %d",
+				sa, sb, r_exp, r_tst);
+		else {
+			error("'%s' vs '%s', result expect %d, observed %d",
+			      sa, sb, r_exp, r_tst);
+			failed = 1;
+		}
 	}
 	if (offset != first_change) {
-		error("FAIL: '%s' vs '%s', offset expect %d, observed %d\n",
-			  sa, sb, first_change, offset);
+		error("'%s' vs '%s', offset expect %d, observed %d",
+		      sa, sb, first_change, offset);
 		failed = 1;
 	}
 
 	return failed;
 }
-	
+
 int cmd_main(int argc, const char **argv)
 {
 	int failed = 0;
diff --git a/t/t0065-strcmp-offset.sh b/t/t0065-strcmp-offset.sh
old mode 100644
new mode 100755