diff --git a/test/functional/tools/output_filter.xml b/test/functional/tools/output_filter.xml
index 2002fee0382..a7668835948 100644
--- a/test/functional/tools/output_filter.xml
+++ b/test/functional/tools/output_filter.xml
@@ -26,7 +26,6 @@ echo 'test' > p2.reverse
             <!-- Must pass all filters... -->
             <filter>filter_text_1 == "foo"</filter>
         </data>
-        <data name="out_3" format="txt" from_work_dir="3"/>
         <collection name="list_output" type="list" label="List">
             <discover_datasets pattern="(?P&lt;identifier_0&gt;[45])" ext="txt" visible="true" />
             <filter>produce_collection is True</filter>
@@ -37,7 +36,7 @@ echo 'test' > p2.reverse
         </collection>
     </outputs>
     <tests>
-        <test expect_num_outputs="3">
+        <test expect_num_outputs="2">
             <param name="produce_out_1" value="true" />
             <param name="filter_text_1" value="foo" />
             <output name="out_1">
@@ -50,13 +49,8 @@ echo 'test' > p2.reverse
                     <has_line line="test" />
                 </assert_contents>
             </output>
-            <output name="out_3">
-                <assert_contents>
-                    <has_line line="test" />
-                </assert_contents>
-            </output>
         </test>
-        <test expect_num_outputs="2">
+        <test expect_num_outputs="1">
             <param name="produce_out_1" value="true" />
             <param name="filter_text_1" value="bar" /> <!-- fails second filter in out2 -->
             <output name="out_1">
@@ -64,22 +58,16 @@ echo 'test' > p2.reverse
                     <has_line line="test" />
                 </assert_contents>
             </output>
-            <output name="out_3">
-                <assert_contents>
-                    <has_line line="test" />
-                </assert_contents>
-            </output>
         </test>
-        <test expect_num_outputs="1">
+        <!-- tool runs with no outputs should fail -->
+        <test expect_num_outputs="0" expect_test_failure="true">
             <param name="produce_out_1" value="false" />
             <param name="filter_text_1" value="not_foo_or_bar" />
-            <output name="out_3">
-                <assert_contents>
-                    <has_line line="test" />
-                </assert_contents>
-            </output>
+            <assert_stdout>
+                <has_n_lines n="0"/>
+            </assert_stdout>
         </test>
-        <test expect_num_outputs="4">
+        <test expect_num_outputs="3">
             <param name="produce_out_1" value="true" />
             <param name="filter_text_1" value="foo" />
             <param name="produce_collection" value="true" />
@@ -93,11 +81,6 @@ echo 'test' > p2.reverse
                     <has_line line="test" />
                 </assert_contents>
             </output>
-            <output name="out_3">
-                <assert_contents>
-                    <has_line line="test" />
-                </assert_contents>
-            </output>
             <output_collection name="list_output" type="list" count="2">
                 <element name="4">
                     <assert_contents>
@@ -111,7 +94,7 @@ echo 'test' > p2.reverse
                 </element>
             </output_collection>
         </test>
-        <test expect_num_outputs="5">
+        <test expect_num_outputs="4">
             <param name="produce_out_1" value="true" />
             <param name="filter_text_1" value="foo" />
             <param name="produce_collection" value="true" />
@@ -126,11 +109,6 @@ echo 'test' > p2.reverse
                     <has_line line="test" />
                 </assert_contents>
             </output>
-            <output name="out_3">
-                <assert_contents>
-                    <has_line line="test" />
-                </assert_contents>
-            </output>
             <output_collection name="list_output" type="list" count="2">
                 <element name="4">
                     <assert_contents>