diff --git "a/frameworks\\utest/source/greentea_handlers.cpp" "b/frameworks\\utest/source/greentea_handlers.cpp"
index 7881fc9f49..747642f62b 100644
--- "a/frameworks\\utest/source/greentea_handlers.cpp"
+++ "b/frameworks\\utest/source/greentea_handlers.cpp"
@@ -118,7 +118,7 @@ status_t utest::v1::greentea_case_teardown_handler(const Case *const source, con
 status_t utest::v1::greentea_case_failure_abort_handler(const Case *const source, const failure_t failure)
 {
     status_t status = verbose_case_failure_handler(source, failure);
-    return (status & STATUS_IGNORE) ? STATUS_IGNORE : STATUS_ABORT;
+    return (status == STATUS_IGNORE) ? STATUS_IGNORE : STATUS_ABORT;
 }
 
 status_t utest::v1::greentea_case_failure_continue_handler(const Case *const source, const failure_t failure)
diff --git "a/frameworks\\utest/source/harness.cpp" "b/frameworks\\utest/source/harness.cpp"
index 85fe5a9f82..d621f1bcf7 100644
--- "a/frameworks\\utest/source/harness.cpp"
+++ "b/frameworks\\utest/source/harness.cpp"
@@ -111,16 +111,16 @@ void Harness::raise_failure(const failure_reason_t reason)
 
         if (handlers.test_failure) handlers.test_failure(failure_t(reason, location));
         if (handlers.case_failure) fail_status = handlers.case_failure(case_current, failure_t(reason, location));
-        if (!(fail_status & STATUS_IGNORE)) case_failed++;
+        if (fail_status != STATUS_IGNORE) case_failed++;
 
-        if ((fail_status & STATUS_ABORT) && case_timeout_handle)
+        if ((fail_status == STATUS_ABORT) && case_timeout_handle)
         {
             minar::Scheduler::cancelCallback(case_timeout_handle);
             case_timeout_handle = NULL;
         }
     }
 
-    if (fail_status & STATUS_ABORT || reason & REASON_CASE_SETUP) {
+    if (fail_status == STATUS_ABORT || reason & REASON_CASE_SETUP) {
         if (handlers.case_teardown && location != LOCATION_CASE_TEARDOWN) {
             location_t fail_loc(location);
             location = LOCATION_CASE_TEARDOWN;
@@ -131,7 +131,7 @@ void Harness::raise_failure(const failure_reason_t reason)
             else handlers.case_teardown = NULL;
         }
     }
-    if (fail_status & STATUS_ABORT) {
+    if (fail_status == STATUS_ABORT) {
         test_failed++;
         failure_t fail(reason, location);
         location = LOCATION_TEST_TEARDOWN;
diff --git "a/frameworks\\utest/utest/types.h" "b/frameworks\\utest/utest/types.h"
index 4fd68e5152..127f9a739d 100644
--- "a/frameworks\\utest/utest/types.h"
+++ "b/frameworks\\utest/utest/types.h"
@@ -45,9 +45,9 @@ namespace v1 {
     };
 
     enum status_t {
-        STATUS_CONTINUE = 0,    ///< continues testing
-        STATUS_IGNORE = 1,      ///< ignores failure and continues testing
-        STATUS_ABORT = 2        ///< stops testing
+        STATUS_CONTINUE = -1,   ///< continues testing
+        STATUS_IGNORE = -2,     ///< ignores failure and continues testing
+        STATUS_ABORT = -3       ///< stops testing
     };
 
     enum failure_reason_t {