diff --git a/closed/make/Main.gmk b/closed/make/Main.gmk
index d73fff3230e..ba0d6f670a7 100644
--- a/closed/make/Main.gmk
+++ b/closed/make/Main.gmk
@@ -63,7 +63,7 @@ test-image : test-image-openj9
 test-image-openj9 : images
 	@+$(MAKE) $(MAKE_ARGS) -f $(SRC_ROOT)/closed/TestImage.gmk
 ifneq ($(COMPILE_TYPE), cross)
-	$(JRE_IMAGE_DIR)/bin/java -version 2>&1 | $(TEE) $(IMAGES_OUTPUTDIR)/test/openj9/java-version.txt
+	$(JRE_IMAGE_DIR)/bin/java -version >$(IMAGES_OUTPUTDIR)/test/openj9/java-version.txt 2>&1; rc=$$?; cat $(IMAGES_OUTPUTDIR)/test/openj9/java-version.txt; exit "$$rc"
 endif
 
 clean-docs : clean-openj9-only-docs