diff --git a/.cirrus.yml b/.cirrus.yml
index 172a799a9..55ab37b44 100644
--- a/.cirrus.yml
+++ b/.cirrus.yml
@@ -37,7 +37,7 @@ build_task:
         sed -i '' "s/^version:.*/version:$cabal_nightly_version/" postgrest.cabal
       fi
       ## compile for 30 minutes tops
-    - timeout 1800 cabal v2-build -j1 || (($?==124))
+    - timeout 1800 cabal v2-build -j1 || test "$?" = "124"
 
   publish_script:
     - |