diff --git a/test/t0040-add-and-cat.sh b/test/t0040-add-and-cat.sh
index 3b612fee9..3ee349fc4 100755
--- a/test/t0040-add-and-cat.sh
+++ b/test/t0040-add-and-cat.sh
@@ -63,10 +63,15 @@ test_expect_success "ipfs add bigfile output looks good" '
 '
 
 test_expect_success "ipfs cat succeeds" '
-	ipfs cat $HASH | shasum >sha1_actual
+	ipfs cat $HASH >actual &&
+	cat actual | shasum >sha1_actual
 '
 
 test_expect_success "ipfs cat output looks good" '
+	test_cmp mountdir/bigfile actual
+'
+
+test_expect_success "ipfs cat output shasum looks good" '
 	echo "885b197b01e0f7ff584458dc236cb9477d2e736d  -" >sha1_expected &&
 	test_cmp sha1_expected sha1_actual
 '