diff --git a/hack/test-cmd.sh b/hack/test-cmd.sh
index 9bfb08e89f6..683b1837e70 100755
--- a/hack/test-cmd.sh
+++ b/hack/test-cmd.sh
@@ -128,7 +128,7 @@ for version in "${kube_api_versions[@]}"; do
   fi
 
   # passing no arguments to create is an error
-  [ ! $(kubectl create) ]
+  ! kubectl create
 
   kube::log::status "Testing kubectl(${version}:pods)"
   kubectl get pods "${kube_flags[@]}"