diff --git a/tests/rt.sh b/tests/rt.sh
index c55eeaaddb..51592bfd43 100755
--- a/tests/rt.sh
+++ b/tests/rt.sh
@@ -28,7 +28,6 @@ usage() {
   echo "  -v  verbose output"
   echo "  -w  for weekly_test, skip comparing baseline results"
   echo
-  set -x
 }
 
 [[ $# -eq 0 ]] && usage
@@ -155,7 +154,6 @@ update_rtconf() {
 
 generate_log() {
   echo "rt.sh: Generating Regression Testing Log..."
-  set -x
   COMPILE_COUNTER=0
   FAILED_COMPILES=()
   TEST_COUNTER=0
@@ -674,14 +672,10 @@ done
 #B&N not run together
 [[ ${NEW_BASELINES_FILE} != '' && ${RUN_SINGLE_TEST} == true ]] && die "-b and -n options cannot be used at the same time"
 
-[[ -o xtrace ]] && set_x='set -x' || set_x='set +x'
-
 if [[ ${RTVERBOSE} == true ]]; then
   set -x
 fi
 
-[[ -o xtrace ]] && set_x='set -x' || set_x='set +x'
-
 if [[ -z "${ACCNR}" ]]; then
   echo "Please use -a <account> to set group account to use on HPC"
   exit 1
@@ -694,7 +688,6 @@ echo "Account: ${ACCNR}"
 case ${MACHINE_ID} in
   wcoss2|acorn)
     echo "rt.sh: Setting up WCOSS2/Acorn"
-    set -x
     if [[ "${ECFLOW:-false}" == true ]] ; then
       module load ecflow/5.6.0.13
     fi
@@ -714,7 +707,6 @@ case ${MACHINE_ID} in
     ;;
   gaea)
     echo "rt.sh: Setting up gaea..."
-    set -x
     if [[ "${ROCOTO:-false}" == true ]] ; then
       module use /ncrc/proj/epic/rocoto/modulefiles
       module load rocoto
@@ -747,7 +739,6 @@ case ${MACHINE_ID} in
     ;;
   hera)
     echo "rt.sh: Setting up hera..."
-    set -x
     if [[ "${ROCOTO:-false}" == true ]] ; then
       module load rocoto
       ROCOTO_SCHEDULER=slurm
@@ -770,7 +761,6 @@ case ${MACHINE_ID} in
     ;;
   orion)
     echo "rt.sh: Setting up orion..."
-    set -x
     module load git/2.28.0
     module load gcc/10.2.0
     module load python/3.9.2
@@ -800,7 +790,6 @@ case ${MACHINE_ID} in
     ;;
   hercules)
     echo "rt.sh: Setting up hercules..."
-    set -x
     if [[ "${ROCOTO:-false}" == true ]] ; then
       module load contrib rocoto
       ROCOTO_SCHEDULER="slurm"
@@ -828,7 +817,6 @@ case ${MACHINE_ID} in
     ;;
   jet)
     echo "rt.sh: Setting up jet..."
-    set -x
     CurJetOS=$(lsb_release -is)
     echo "=======Running on ${CurJetOS}======="
     if [[ ${CurJetOS} == "CentOS" ]]; then
@@ -861,7 +849,6 @@ case ${MACHINE_ID} in
     ;;
   s4)
     echo "rt.sh: Setting up s4..."
-    set -x
     if [[ "${ROCOTO:-false}" == true ]] ; then
       module load rocoto/1.3.2
       ROCOTO_SCHEDULER=slurm
@@ -892,7 +879,6 @@ case ${MACHINE_ID} in
     ;;
   derecho)
     echo "rt.sh: Setting up derecho..."
-    set -x
     if [[ "${ROCOTO:-false}" == true ]] ; then
       module use /glade/work/epicufsrt/contrib/derecho/rocoto/modulefiles
       module load rocoto
@@ -930,7 +916,6 @@ case ${MACHINE_ID} in
     ;;
   stampede)
     echo "rt.sh: Setting up stampede..."
-    set -x
     export PYTHONPATH=
     if [[ "${ECFLOW:-false}" == true ]] ; then
       ECFLOW_START=
@@ -948,7 +933,6 @@ case ${MACHINE_ID} in
     ;;
   expanse)
     echo "rt.sh: Setting up expanse..."
-    set -x
     export PYTHONPATH=
 
     if [[ "${ECFLOW:-false}" == true ]] ; then
@@ -965,7 +949,6 @@ case ${MACHINE_ID} in
     ;;
   noaacloud)
     echo "rt.sh: Setting up noaacloud..."
-    set -x
     export PATH="/contrib/EPIC/bin:${PATH}"
     module use /apps/modules/modulefiles
 
@@ -987,7 +970,6 @@ case ${MACHINE_ID} in
     die "Unknown machine ID, please edit detect_machine.sh file"
     ;;
 esac
-eval "${set_x}"
 
 mkdir -p "${STMP}/${USER}"
 
@@ -1374,5 +1356,4 @@ fi
 
 ## Lets verify all tests were run and that they passed
 generate_log
-eval "${set_x}"
 echo "******Regression Testing Script Completed******"
diff --git a/tests/rt_utils.sh b/tests/rt_utils.sh
index 239419e271..cf047e3473 100755
--- a/tests/rt_utils.sh
+++ b/tests/rt_utils.sh
@@ -16,8 +16,7 @@ jobid=0
 
 function compute_petbounds_and_tasks() {
   echo "rt_utils.sh: ${TEST_ID}: Computing PET bounds and tasks."
-  [[ -o xtrace ]] && set_x='set -x' || set_x='set +x'
-  set +x
+
   # each test MUST define ${COMPONENT}_tasks variable for all components it is using
   # and MUST NOT define those that it's not using or set the value to 0.
 
@@ -96,12 +95,10 @@ function compute_petbounds_and_tasks() {
 
   # TASKS is now set to UFS_TASKS
   export TASKS=${UFS_tasks}
-  eval "${set_x}"
 }
 
 interrupt_job() {
   echo "rt_utils.sh: Job ${jobid} interupted"
-  set -x
   #echo "run_util.sh: interrupt_job called | Job#: ${jobid}"
   case ${SCHEDULER} in
     pbs)
@@ -120,9 +117,6 @@ submit_and_wait() {
   echo "rt_utils.sh: Submitting job on scheduler: ${SCHEDULER}"
   [[ -z $1 ]] && exit 1
 
-  [[ -o xtrace ]] && set_x='set -x' || set_x='set +x'
-  set +x
-
   local -r job_card=$1
 
   ROCOTO=${ROCOTO:-false}
@@ -156,9 +150,9 @@ submit_and_wait() {
   do
     case ${SCHEDULER} in
       pbs)
-	set +e
+        set +e
         job_info=$( qstat "${jobid}" )
-	set -e
+        set -e
         ;;
       slurm)
         job_info=$( squeue -u "${USER}" -j "${jobid}" )
@@ -185,9 +179,9 @@ submit_and_wait() {
   do
     case ${SCHEDULER} in
       pbs)
-	set +e
+        set +e
         job_info=$( qstat "${jobid}" )
-	set -e
+        set -e
         ;;
       slurm)
         job_info=$( squeue -u "${USER}" -j "${jobid}" )
@@ -253,14 +247,10 @@ submit_and_wait() {
     (( n=n+1 ))
     sleep 60 & wait $!
   done
-
-  eval "${set_x}"
 }
 
 check_results() {
   echo "rt_utils.sh: Checking results of the regression test: ${TEST_ID}"
-  [[ -o xtrace ]] && set_x='set -x' || set_x='set +x'
-  set +x
 
   ROCOTO=${ROCOTO:-false}
   ECFLOW=${ECFLOW:-false}
@@ -271,7 +261,7 @@ check_results() {
   #sleep 60
 
   {
-  echo                                                                      
+  echo
   echo "baseline dir = ${RTPWD}/${CNTL_DIR}_${RT_COMPILER}"
   echo "working dir  = ${RUNDIR}"
   echo "Checking test ${TEST_ID} results ...."
@@ -391,8 +381,6 @@ check_results() {
       exit 1
     fi
   fi
-
-  eval "${set_x}"
 }
 
 
@@ -528,7 +516,7 @@ rocoto_kill() {
 
 rocoto_step() {
     echo "rt_utils.sh: Runnung one iteration of rocotorun and rocotostat..."
-    set -e
+
     echo "Unknown" > rocoto_workflow.state
     # Run one iteration of rocotorun and rocotostat.
     ${ROCOTORUN} -v 10 -w "${ROCOTO_XML}" -d "${ROCOTO_DB}"
@@ -566,19 +554,15 @@ rocoto_run() {
           set -e
 
           if [[ "${state:-Unknown}" == Done ]] ; then
-              set +x
               echo "Rocoto workflow has completed."
-              set -x
               return 0
           elif [[ ${result} == 0 ]] ; then
               break # rocoto_step succeeded
           elif (( now_time-start_time > max_time || step_attempts >= max_step_attempts )) ; then
-              set +x
               hostnamein=$(hostname)
               echo "Rocoto commands have failed ${step_attempts} times, for $(( (now_time-start_time+30)/60 )) minutes."
               echo "There may be something wrong with the ${hostnamein} node or the batch system."
               echo "I'm giving up. Sorry."
-              set -x
               return 2
           fi
           sleep $(( naptime * 2**((step_attempts-1)%4) * RANDOM/32767 ))
@@ -625,7 +609,7 @@ EOF
   else
     echo "      trigger compile_${COMPILE_ID} == complete" >> "${ECFLOW_RUN}/${ECFLOW_SUITE}.def"
   fi
-  
+
 }
 
 ecflow_run() {
@@ -633,7 +617,7 @@ ecflow_run() {
   # NOTE: ECFLOW IS NOT SAFE TO RUN WITH set -e, PLEASE AVOID
   #ECF_HOST="${ECF_HOST:-${HOSTNAME}}"
 
-  
+
   # Make sure ECF_HOST and ECF_PORT are set/ready on systems that have an
   # explicit ecflow node
   if [[ ${MACHINE_ID} == wcoss2 || ${MACHINE_ID} == acorn ]]; then
@@ -665,11 +649,11 @@ ecflow_run() {
   ecflow_client --ping --host="${ECF_HOST}" --port="${ECF_PORT}"
   not_running=$?
   set -e
-  
+
   if [[ ${not_running} -eq 1 ]]; then
     echo "rt_utils.sh: ecflow_server is not running on ${ECF_HOST}:${ECF_PORT}"
     echo "rt_utils.sh: attempting to start ecflow_server..."
-    
+
     save_traps=$(trap)
     trap "" SIGINT  # Ignore INT signal during ecflow startup
     case ${MACHINE_ID} in
@@ -679,7 +663,7 @@ ecflow_run() {
         ;;
       *)
         ${ECFLOW_START} -p "${ECF_PORT}" -d "${RUNDIR_ROOT}/ecflow_server"
-	;;
+        ;;
     esac
 
     ECFLOW_RUNNING=true
@@ -689,7 +673,7 @@ ecflow_run() {
     ecflow_client --ping --host="${ECF_HOST}" --port="${ECF_PORT}"
     not_running=$?
     set -e
-    
+
     if [[ ${not_running} -eq 1 ]]; then
       echo "rt_utils.sh: ERROR -- Failure to start ecflow. Exiting..."
       exit 1
@@ -698,7 +682,7 @@ ecflow_run() {
     echo "rt_utils.sh: Confirmed: ecflow_server is running on ${ECF_HOST}:${ECF_PORT}"
     ECFLOW_RUNNING=true
   fi
-  
+
   echo "rt_utils.sh: Starting ECFLOW tasks..."
   set +e
   ecflow_client --load="${ECFLOW_RUN}/${ECFLOW_SUITE}.def" --host="${ECF_HOST}" --port="${ECF_PORT}"