diff --git a/src/tests/ftest/control/daos_agent_config.yaml b/src/tests/ftest/control/daos_agent_config.yaml
index b6d8c22619d1..e3ead4665160 100644
--- a/src/tests/ftest/control/daos_agent_config.yaml
+++ b/src/tests/ftest/control/daos_agent_config.yaml
@@ -33,7 +33,7 @@ agent_config_val: !mux
     config_val:
       - "name"
       - "! @#$%^&*()_+{}|:<>?-=[];',./"
-      - "PASS"
+      - "FAIL"
   name_alphanumeric:
     config_val:
       - "name"
diff --git a/src/tests/ftest/control/daos_control_config.yaml b/src/tests/ftest/control/daos_control_config.yaml
index 47e5b86303ab..b07472f0bd34 100644
--- a/src/tests/ftest/control/daos_control_config.yaml
+++ b/src/tests/ftest/control/daos_control_config.yaml
@@ -33,7 +33,7 @@ control_config_val: !mux
     config_val:
       - "name"
       - "! @#$%^&*()_+{}|:<>?-=[];',./"
-      - "PASS"
+      - "FAIL"
   name_numeric:
     config_val:
       - "name"
diff --git a/src/tests/ftest/control/version.py b/src/tests/ftest/control/version.py
index a93f20be0bab..73243011991d 100644
--- a/src/tests/ftest/control/version.py
+++ b/src/tests/ftest/control/version.py
@@ -48,6 +48,7 @@ def test_version(self):
         if "dmg version" not in output:
             errors.append("dmg version is not in the output! {}".format(output))
 
+        dmg_version = None
         result = re.findall(r"dmg version ([\d.]+)", output)
         if not result:
             errors.append("Failed to obtain dmg version! {}".format(output))
@@ -63,6 +64,7 @@ def test_version(self):
         if "daos version" not in output:
             errors.append("daos version is not in the output! {}".format(output))
 
+        daos_version = None
         result = re.findall(r"daos version ([\d.]+)", output)
         if not result:
             errors.append("Failed to obtain daos version! {}".format(output))
@@ -79,6 +81,7 @@ def test_version(self):
         if "DAOS Agent" not in stdout:
             errors.append("DAOS Agent is not in the output! {}".format(stdout))
 
+        daos_agent_version = None
         result = re.findall(r"DAOS Agent v([\d.]+)", stdout)
         if not result:
             errors.append("Failed to obtain daos_agent version! {}".format(output))
@@ -95,6 +98,7 @@ def test_version(self):
         if "DAOS Control Server" not in stdout:
             errors.append("DAOS Control Server is not in the output! {}".format(stdout))
 
+        daos_server_version = None
         result = re.findall(r"DAOS Control Server v([\d.]+)", stdout)
         if not result:
             errors.append("Failed to obtain daos_server version! {}".format(output))