diff --git a/tests/compare_testfiles.sh b/tests/compare_testfiles.sh
index 455e3b0..8812793 100755
--- a/tests/compare_testfiles.sh
+++ b/tests/compare_testfiles.sh
@@ -1,6 +1,8 @@
 #!/bin/sh
 
-if [ "$1" = "" ]; then 
+export TIME='real\t  %e'
+
+if [ "$1" = "" ]; then
 	echo "specify path to tlc binary"
 	exit 1
 else
@@ -9,7 +11,6 @@ fi
 
 tlctest()
 {
-	
 	OUT=`(time $TLC $1) 2>&1 | grep real | cut -f 2 | cut -c 3-`
 	echo "tlc: $1 $OUT"
 	return 0
@@ -24,7 +25,7 @@ wctest()
 
 pythontest()
 {
-	OUT=`(time echo "print str(sum(1 for line in open('$1'))) + ' $1'" | python) 2>&1 | grep real | cut -f 2 | cut -c 3-`
+	OUT=`(time python -c "print str(sum(1 for line in open('$1'))) + ' $1'") 2>&1 | grep real | cut -f 2 | cut -c 3-`
 	echo "python: $1 $OUT"
 	return 0
 }
@@ -36,7 +37,7 @@ tlctest test_1GB.txt
 tlctest test_10GB.txt
 
 echo Timing for 'python'
-pythontest test_10MB.txt 
+pythontest test_10MB.txt
 pythontest test_100MB.txt
 pythontest test_1GB.txt
 pythontest test_10GB.txt