diff --git a/scripts/test-config.sh b/scripts/test-config.sh
old mode 100644
new mode 100755
index 80f4188e..cc5e34b5
--- a/scripts/test-config.sh
+++ b/scripts/test-config.sh
@@ -112,8 +112,8 @@ cfg ctrlchar.json '{"configVersion":1,"environment":"development","dataRoot":"'$
 expect_exit "control character in provider exits 2" 2 -- \
     env MOSAIC_CONFIG="$SANDBOX/ctrlchar.json" $CONFIG_OP validate
 
-cfg symlink.json
-ln -sf "$SANDBOX/invalid.json" "$SANDBOX/symlink.json" 2>/dev/null
+cfg symlink.json 'placeholder'
+ln -sf "$SANDBOX/invalid.json" "$SANDBOX/symlink.json"
 expect_exit "symlinked config file exits 2" 2 -- \
     env MOSAIC_CONFIG="$SANDBOX/symlink.json" $CONFIG_OP validate