diff --git a/.github/workflows/linux-eic-shell.yml b/.github/workflows/linux-eic-shell.yml
index cc63ff62ba5d08ceb12566b79cb76f486baec96c..fcaeb0e813a32c0026f795eace1b11c08585b411 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/linux-eic-shell.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/linux-eic-shell.yml
@@ -95,8 +95,8 @@ jobs:
           sed -i '/<fiber/,+6d' ${DETECTOR_PATH}/compact/ecal_barrel_interlayers.xml
           sed -i '/<fiber/,+4d' ${DETECTOR_PATH}/ip6/far_forward/ZDC_Ecal_WSciFi.xml
           checkOverlaps -c ${DETECTOR_PATH}/${DETECTOR_CONFIG}.xml | tee doc/overlap_check_tgeo.out
-          echo "$(cat doc/overlap_check_tgeo.out | grep ovlp | wc -l) overlaps..."
-          if [[ "$(cat doc/overlap_check_tgeo.out | grep ovlp | wc -l)" -gt "0" ]] ; then echo "Overlaps exist!" && false ; fi
+          noverlaps="$(grep -c ovlp doc/overlap_check_tgeo.out || true)"
+          if [[ "${noverlaps}" -gt "0" ]] ; then echo "${noverlaps} overlaps found!" && false ; fi
 
   check-overlap-geant4:
     runs-on: ubuntu-latest
@@ -117,5 +117,5 @@ jobs:
           sed -i '/<fiber/,+6d' ${DETECTOR_PATH}/compact/ecal_barrel_interlayers.xml
           sed -i '/<fiber/,+4d' ${DETECTOR_PATH}/ip6/far_forward/ZDC_Ecal_WSciFi.xml
           python scripts/checkOverlaps.py -c ${DETECTOR_PATH}/${DETECTOR_CONFIG}.xml | tee doc/overlap_check_geant4.out
-          echo "$(cat doc/overlap_check_geant4.out | grep GeomVol1002 | wc -l) overlaps..."
-          if [[ "$(cat doc/overlap_check_geant4.out | grep GeomVol1002 | wc -l)" -gt "0" ]] ; then echo "Overlaps exist!" && false ; fi
+          noverlaps="$(grep -c GeomVol1002 doc/overlap_check_geant4.out || true)"
+          if [[ "${noverlaps}" -gt "0" ]] ; then echo "${noverlaps} overlaps found!" && false ; fi