diff --git a/dist/tools/avarice/debug.sh b/dist/tools/avarice/debug.sh
index d56cbc4dc8..e2bbbaa5e5 100755
--- a/dist/tools/avarice/debug.sh
+++ b/dist/tools/avarice/debug.sh
@@ -3,9 +3,9 @@
 # The setsid command is needed so that Ctrl+C in GDB doesn't kill avarice
 : ${SETSID:=setsid}
 
-if avr-gdb -v > /dev/null; then
+if avr-gdb -v &> /dev/null; then
     GDB=avr-gdb
-elif gdb-multiarch -v > /dev/null; then
+elif gdb-multiarch -v &> /dev/null; then
     GDB=gdb-multiarch
 else
     echo "Couldn't find multiarch GDB or AVR GDB. Check \$PATH."