diff --git a/scripts/mount.snapshot b/scripts/mount.snapshot
index ba7c4db..e50a97d 100755
--- a/scripts/mount.snapshot
+++ b/scripts/mount.snapshot
@@ -152,17 +152,18 @@ mount_old_snapshots()
 			# Before merging prev snapshot upper with a new lower
 			# (curr snapshot), we need to remove the "origin" xattr
 			# of old $lower, otherwise mount will fail (-ESTALE)
-			setfattr -x "trusted.overlay.origin" $oldsnap/u
+			setfattr -x "trusted.overlay.origin" $oldsnap/u || \
+				error "failed removing 'origin' xattr"
 			# ...and mount with nfs_export=nested, otherwise merge
 			# dir origin fh verification will fail
                         snapmntopts="$snapmntopts,nfs_export=nested"
 			mount -i -t overlay "$dev@$old" "$oldmnt" \
-			-o"ro,upperdir=$oldsnap/u,workdir=$oldsnap/w,lowerdir=$old_snapshots,$snapmntopts"
+			-o"ro,upperdir=$oldsnap/u,workdir=$oldsnap/w,lowerdir=$old_snapshots,$snapmntopts" || exit 1
 		fi
 		old_snapshots="$oldsnap/u:$old_snapshots"
 		[ -z "$prev" ] || \
 			mount -i -t overlay "$dev@$old" "$oldmnt" \
-			-o"ro,lowerdir=$old_snapshots,$oldsnapmntopts"
+			-o"ro,lowerdir=$old_snapshots,$oldsnapmntopts" || exit 1
 		prev=$old
 	done
 }
diff --git a/scripts/ovlsnapshot b/scripts/ovlsnapshot
index 3d094ce..8d8010a 100755
--- a/scripts/ovlsnapshot
+++ b/scripts/ovlsnapshot
@@ -112,11 +112,10 @@ debug()
 # parse <path>[[/]@[/]<snapshot-name>] argument
 parse_path_snapshot_arg()
 {
-	MNT=$( echo $1 | ( IFS=$IFS@ ; read a b ; echo $a ) )
-	snap=$( echo $1 | ( IFS=$IFS@ ; read a b ; echo $b ) )
+	set -- $( IFS=@; echo $1 )
 	# strip / from <path>/ and /<snapshot-name>
-	MNT=${MNT%/}
-	snap=${snap#/}
+	MNT=${1%/}
+	snap=${2#/}
 	# directory inside <path> to store snapshot related files
 	SNAPDIR=$MNT/@
 	# directory prefix for snapshot mount points
@@ -133,6 +132,7 @@ parse_path_snapshot_arg()
 	fi
 	[ -n "$MNT" ] || usage 1
 	[ -d "$MNT" ] || error "'$MNT' is not a directory!"
+	mkdir -p $SNAPMNT || error "creating snapshot mount point"
 	export MNT
 	S=$MNT@$snap
 	SNAPTEST="ovlsnaptest"
@@ -660,7 +660,7 @@ case "$CMD" in
 	# uncomment the following line to run in-place write tests
 	INPLACE=$NOTRUNC
 	# uncomment the following line to run direct I/O write tests
-	DIRECT="oflag=direct"
+	#DIRECT="oflag=direct"
 	TRUNCSIZE=4
 	echo Appending $F zeros to $F.1 $DIRECT
 	# append writes to new allocated blocks