diff --git a/tests/libtest.sh b/tests/libtest.sh
index ce1f41fe..80085ce2 100644
--- a/tests/libtest.sh
+++ b/tests/libtest.sh
@@ -30,13 +30,23 @@ else
     test_builddir=$(dirname $0)
 fi
 
+# All the asserts and ok functions below are wrapped such that they
+# don't output any set -x traces of their internals (but still echo
+# errors to stderr). This way the log output focuses on tracing what
+# is essential to the test (the asserts being run and errors from them)
+
 assert_not_reached () {
+    { { local BASH_XTRACEFD=3; } 2> /dev/null
     echo $@ 1>&2; exit 1
+    } 3> /dev/null
 }
 
 ok () {
-    echo "ok $@"
-    echo "============================================================"
+    # Wrap this to avoid set -x showing the echo commands
+    {
+        echo "ok $@";
+        echo "========================================================================";
+    } 2> /dev/null
 }
 
 test_tmpdir=$(pwd)
@@ -114,64 +124,85 @@ fi
 export FLATPAK="${CMD_PREFIX} flatpak"
 
 assert_streq () {
+    { { local BASH_XTRACEFD=3; } 2> /dev/null
     test "$1" = "$2" || (echo 1>&2 "$1 != $2"; exit 1)
+    } 3> /dev/null
 }
 
 assert_not_streq () {
+    { { local BASH_XTRACEFD=3; } 2> /dev/null
     (! test "$1" = "$2") || (echo 1>&2 "$1 == $2"; exit 1)
+    } 3> /dev/null
 }
 
 assert_has_file () {
+    { { local BASH_XTRACEFD=3; } 2> /dev/null
     test -f "$1" || (echo 1>&2 "Couldn't find '$1'"; exit 1)
+    } 3> /dev/null
 }
 
 assert_has_symlink () {
+    { { local BASH_XTRACEFD=3; } 2> /dev/null
     test -L "$1" || (echo 1>&2 "Couldn't find '$1'"; exit 1)
+    } 3> /dev/null
 }
 
 assert_has_dir () {
+    { { local BASH_XTRACEFD=3; } 2> /dev/null
     test -d "$1" || (echo 1>&2 "Couldn't find '$1'"; exit 1)
+    } 3> /dev/null
 }
 
 assert_not_has_file () {
+    { { local BASH_XTRACEFD=3; } 2> /dev/null
     if test -f "$1"; then
         sed -e 's/^/# /' < "$1" >&2
         echo 1>&2 "File '$1' exists"
         exit 1
     fi
+    } 3> /dev/null
 }
 
 assert_not_file_has_content () {
+    { { local BASH_XTRACEFD=3; } 2> /dev/null
     if grep -q -e "$2" "$1"; then
         sed -e 's/^/# /' < "$1" >&2
         echo 1>&2 "File '$1' incorrectly matches regexp '$2'"
         exit 1
     fi
+    } 3> /dev/null
 }
 
 assert_file_has_mode () {
+    { { local BASH_XTRACEFD=3; } 2> /dev/null
     mode=$(stat -c '%a' $1)
     if [ "$mode" != "$2" ]; then
         echo 1>&2 "File '$1' has wrong mode: expected $2, but got $mode"
         exit 1
     fi
+    } 3> /dev/null
 }
 
 assert_not_has_dir () {
+    { { local BASH_XTRACEFD=3; } 2> /dev/null
     if test -d "$1"; then
         echo 1>&2 "Directory '$1' exists"; exit 1
     fi
+    } 3> /dev/null
 }
 
 assert_file_has_content () {
+    { { local BASH_XTRACEFD=3; } 2> /dev/null
     if ! grep -q -e "$2" "$1"; then
         sed -e 's/^/# /' < "$1" >&2
         echo 1>&2 "File '$1' doesn't match regexp '$2'"
         exit 1
     fi
+    } 3> /dev/null
 }
 
 assert_log_has_gpg_signature_error () {
+    { { local BASH_XTRACEFD=3; } 2> /dev/null
     if ! grep -q -e "GPG signatures found, but none are in trusted keyring" "$1"; then
         if ! grep -q -e "Can't check signature: public key not found" "$1"; then
             sed -e 's/^/# /' < "$1" >&2
@@ -179,34 +210,43 @@ assert_log_has_gpg_signature_error () {
             exit 1
         fi
     fi
+    } 3> /dev/null
 }
 
 assert_symlink_has_content () {
+    { { local BASH_XTRACEFD=3; } 2> /dev/null
     if ! readlink "$1" | grep -q -e "$2"; then
         readlink "$1" |sed -e 's/^/# /' >&2
         echo 1>&2 "Symlink '$1' doesn't match regexp '$2'"
         exit 1
     fi
+    } 3> /dev/null
 }
 
 assert_file_empty() {
+    { { local BASH_XTRACEFD=3; } 2> /dev/null
     if test -s "$1"; then
         sed -e 's/^/# /' < "$1" >&2
         echo 1>&2 "File '$1' is not empty"
         exit 1
     fi
+    } 3> /dev/null
 }
 
 assert_remote_has_config () {
+    { { local BASH_XTRACEFD=3; } 2> /dev/null
     ostree config --repo=$FL_DIR/repo get --group 'remote "'"$1"'"' "$2" > key-output
     assert_file_has_content key-output "$3"
+    } 3> /dev/null
 }
 
 assert_remote_has_no_config () {
+    { { local BASH_XTRACEFD=3; } 2> /dev/null
     if ostree config --repo=$FL_DIR/repo get --group 'remote "'"$1"'"' "$2" > /dev/null; then
         echo 1>&2 "Remote '$1' unexpectedly has key '$2'"
         exit 1
     fi
+    } 3> /dev/null
 }
 
 export FL_GPG_HOMEDIR=${TEST_DATA_DIR}/gpghome