diff --git a/src/main/java/org/jenkinsci/plugins/workflow/steps/durable_task/DurableTaskStep.java b/src/main/java/org/jenkinsci/plugins/workflow/steps/durable_task/DurableTaskStep.java
index 2eca1ce1..03b8df32 100644
--- a/src/main/java/org/jenkinsci/plugins/workflow/steps/durable_task/DurableTaskStep.java
+++ b/src/main/java/org/jenkinsci/plugins/workflow/steps/durable_task/DurableTaskStep.java
@@ -31,6 +31,7 @@
 import hudson.FilePath;
 import hudson.Functions;
 import hudson.Launcher;
+import hudson.Main;
 import hudson.Util;
 import hudson.model.Node;
 import hudson.model.TaskListener;
@@ -170,7 +171,7 @@ interface ExecutionRemotable {
     /** If set to false, disables {@link Execution#watching} mode. */
     @SuppressFBWarnings(value = "MS_SHOULD_BE_FINAL", justification = "public & mutable only for tests")
     @Restricted(NoExternalUse.class)
-    public static boolean USE_WATCHING = !"false".equals(System.getProperty(DurableTaskStep.class.getName() + ".USE_WATCHING"));
+    public static boolean USE_WATCHING = Boolean.parseBoolean(System.getProperty(DurableTaskStep.class.getName() + ".USE_WATCHING", Main.isUnitTest ? "true" : /* JENKINS-52165 turn back on by default */ "false"));
 
     /**
      * Represents one task that is believed to still be running.
@@ -466,14 +467,7 @@ private void check() {
                             if (controller.writeLog(workspace, listener.getLogger())) {
                                 LOGGER.log(Level.FINE, "last-minute output in {0} on {1}", new Object[] {remote, node});
                             }
-                            if (returnStatus || exitCode == 0) {
-                                getContext().onSuccess(returnStatus ? exitCode : returnStdout ? new String(controller.getOutput(workspace, launcher()), StandardCharsets.UTF_8) : null);
-                            } else {
-                                if (returnStdout) {
-                                    listener.getLogger().write(controller.getOutput(workspace, launcher())); // diagnostic
-                                }
-                                getContext().onFailure(new AbortException("script returned exit code " + exitCode));
-                            }
+                            handleExit(exitCode, () -> controller.getOutput(workspace, launcher()));
                             recurrencePeriod = 0;
                             controller.cleanup(workspace);
                         }
@@ -507,12 +501,20 @@ private void check() {
                 return;
             }
             recurrencePeriod = 0;
+            handleExit(exitCode, () -> output);
+        }
+
+        @FunctionalInterface
+        private interface OutputSupplier {
+            byte[] produce() throws IOException, InterruptedException;
+        }
+        private void handleExit(int exitCode, OutputSupplier output) throws IOException, InterruptedException {
             Throwable originalCause = causeOfStoppage;
             if ((returnStatus && originalCause == null) || exitCode == 0) {
-                getContext().onSuccess(returnStatus ? exitCode : returnStdout ? new String(output, StandardCharsets.UTF_8) : null);
+                getContext().onSuccess(returnStatus ? exitCode : returnStdout ? new String(output.produce(), StandardCharsets.UTF_8) : null);
             } else {
                 if (returnStdout) {
-                    listener().getLogger().write(output); // diagnostic
+                    listener().getLogger().write(output.produce()); // diagnostic
                 }
                 if (originalCause != null) {
                     // JENKINS-28822: Use the previous cause instead of throwing a new AbortException
diff --git a/src/test/java/org/jenkinsci/plugins/workflow/steps/durable_task/ShellStepTest.java b/src/test/java/org/jenkinsci/plugins/workflow/steps/durable_task/ShellStepTest.java
index 7672da08..586be277 100644
--- a/src/test/java/org/jenkinsci/plugins/workflow/steps/durable_task/ShellStepTest.java
+++ b/src/test/java/org/jenkinsci/plugins/workflow/steps/durable_task/ShellStepTest.java
@@ -541,7 +541,7 @@ private Object writeReplace() {
         j.waitForCompletion(b);
         // Would have succeeded before https://github.com/jenkinsci/workflow-durable-task-step-plugin/pull/75.
         j.assertBuildStatus(Result.ABORTED, b);
-        j.assertLogContains("Timeout has been exceeded", b);
+        j.waitForMessage("Timeout has been exceeded", b); // TODO assertLogContains fails unless a sleep is introduced; possible race condition in waitForCompletion
     }
 
     /**