diff --git a/1990/jaw/try.sh b/1990/jaw/try.sh
index eed759a3b..9ea01a967 100755
--- a/1990/jaw/try.sh
+++ b/1990/jaw/try.sh
@@ -4,8 +4,26 @@ echo "Running shark.sh:"
 sh shark.sh shark.sh README.md jaw.c > receive || exit 1
 echo "Done."
 
-echo "Attempting to extract files:"
 
-mkdir -p test
-cd test
+# delete directory for clean state
+rm -fr test
+
+# make sure we can make the new directory
+mkdir -p test || exit 0
+
+# make sure we can cd to the new directory
+cd test || exit
+# run the script
+echo "Attempting to extract files:"
 sh ../receive
+
+echo 1>&2
+echo "$ ls -al" 1>&2
+ls -al
+
+echo 1>&2
+echo "Comparing the files from the parent directory:" 1>&2
+echo 1>&2
+for i in *; do
+    echo -n "   " 1>&2; diff -s "$i" ../"$i"
+done