diff --git a/.gitlab-ci/android-deqp-runner.sh b/.gitlab-ci/android-deqp-runner.sh
index a4ac1febc89..8d563793b37 100755
--- a/.gitlab-ci/android-deqp-runner.sh
+++ b/.gitlab-ci/android-deqp-runner.sh
@@ -35,6 +35,7 @@ fi
 # Default to an empty known flakes file if it doesn't exist.
 $ADB shell "touch /data/deqp/$GPU_VERSION-flakes.txt"
 
+DEQP_SKIPS=""
 if [ -e "$INSTALL/$GPU_VERSION-skips.txt" ]; then
     DEQP_SKIPS="$DEQP_SKIPS /data/deqp/$GPU_VERSION-skips.txt"
 fi
diff --git a/.gitlab-ci/android-runner.sh b/.gitlab-ci/android-runner.sh
index 7dfb914617e..5aad67fc7bf 100755
--- a/.gitlab-ci/android-runner.sh
+++ b/.gitlab-ci/android-runner.sh
@@ -2,6 +2,8 @@
 # shellcheck disable=SC2086 # we want word splitting
 # shellcheck disable=SC1091 # paths only become valid at runtime
 
+set -uex
+
 # Set default ADB command if not set already
 
 : "${ADB:=adb}"
@@ -119,7 +121,7 @@ if ! printf "%s" "$VK_RUNTIME_VERSION" | grep -Fq -- "${MESA_BUILD_VERSION}"; th
      exit 1
 fi
 
-if [ -n "$USE_ANDROID_CTS" ]; then
+if [ -n "${USE_ANDROID_CTS:-}" ]; then
   # The script sets EXIT_CODE
   . "$(dirname "$0")/android-cts-runner.sh"
 else
diff --git a/.gitlab-ci/cuttlefish-runner.sh b/.gitlab-ci/cuttlefish-runner.sh
index e86a8ceb3fc..7fae0f4d7da 100755
--- a/.gitlab-ci/cuttlefish-runner.sh
+++ b/.gitlab-ci/cuttlefish-runner.sh
@@ -2,10 +2,11 @@
 # shellcheck disable=SC2086 # we want word splitting
 # shellcheck disable=SC1091 # paths only become valid at runtime
 
+set -uex
+
 . "${SCRIPTS_DIR}/setup-test-env.sh"
 
 section_start cuttlefish_setup "cuttlefish: setup"
-set -xe
 
 # Structured tagging check for angle
 if [ -n "$ANGLE_TAG" ]; then
@@ -14,11 +15,11 @@ if [ -n "$ANGLE_TAG" ]; then
 fi
 
 export PATH=/cuttlefish/bin:$PATH
-export LD_LIBRARY_PATH=/cuttlefish/lib64:${CI_PROJECT_DIR}/install/lib:$LD_LIBRARY_PATH
+export LD_LIBRARY_PATH=/cuttlefish/lib64:${CI_PROJECT_DIR}/install/lib:${LD_LIBRARY_PATH:-}
 
 # Pick up a vulkan driver
 ARCH=$(uname -m)
-export VK_DRIVER_FILES=${CI_PROJECT_DIR}/install/share/vulkan/icd.d/${VK_DRIVER:-}_icd.$ARCH.json
+export VK_DRIVER_FILES=${CI_PROJECT_DIR}/install/share/vulkan/icd.d/${VK_DRIVER}_icd.$ARCH.json
 
 syslogd
 
@@ -50,6 +51,7 @@ VSOCK_BASE=10000 # greater than all the default vsock ports
 VSOCK_CID=$((VSOCK_BASE + (CI_JOB_ID & 0xfff)))
 
 # Venus requires a custom kernel for now
+CUSTOM_KERNEL_ARGS=""
 if [ "$ANDROID_GPU_MODE" = "venus" ] || [ "$ANDROID_GPU_MODE" = "venus_guest_angle" ]; then
   CUSTOM_KERNEL_ARGS="
   -kernel_path=/cuttlefish/bzImage