diff --git a/bin/installDeps.sh b/bin/installDeps.sh
index 04e8ac13..af891211 100755
--- a/bin/installDeps.sh
+++ b/bin/installDeps.sh
@@ -25,13 +25,9 @@ require_minimal_version() {
   DETECTED_MAJOR=$(pecho $VERSION_STRING | cut -s -d "." -f 1)
   DETECTED_MINOR=$(pecho $VERSION_STRING | cut -s -d "." -f 2)
 
-  if [ -z "$DETECTED_MAJOR" ]; then
-    fatal "Cannot extract $PROGRAM_LABEL major version from version string \"$VERSION_STRING\""
-  fi
+  [ -n "$DETECTED_MAJOR" ] || fatal "Cannot extract $PROGRAM_LABEL major version from version string \"$VERSION_STRING\""
 
-  if [ -z "$DETECTED_MINOR" ]; then
-    fatal "Cannot extract $PROGRAM_LABEL minor version from version string \"$VERSION_STRING\""
-  fi
+  [ -n "$DETECTED_MINOR" ] || fatal "Cannot extract $PROGRAM_LABEL minor version from version string \"$VERSION_STRING\""
 
   case "$DETECTED_MAJOR" in
       ''|*[!0-9]*)
@@ -44,9 +40,8 @@ require_minimal_version() {
         fatal "$PROGRAM_LABEL minor version from \"$VERSION_STRING\" is not a number. Detected: \"$DETECTED_MINOR\""
   esac
 
-  if [ "$DETECTED_MAJOR" -lt "$REQUIRED_MAJOR" ] || ([ "$DETECTED_MAJOR" -eq "$REQUIRED_MAJOR" ] && [ "$DETECTED_MINOR" -lt "$REQUIRED_MINOR" ]); then
-    fatal "Your $PROGRAM_LABEL version \"$VERSION_STRING\" is too old. $PROGRAM_LABEL $REQUIRED_MAJOR.$REQUIRED_MINOR.x or higher is required."
-  fi
+  [ "$DETECTED_MAJOR" -gt "$REQUIRED_MAJOR" ] || ([ "$DETECTED_MAJOR" -eq "$REQUIRED_MAJOR" ] && [ "$DETECTED_MINOR" -ge "$REQUIRED_MINOR" ]) \
+    || fatal "Your $PROGRAM_LABEL version \"$VERSION_STRING\" is too old. $PROGRAM_LABEL $REQUIRED_MAJOR.$REQUIRED_MINOR.x or higher is required."
 }
 
 # Move to the folder where ep-lite is installed
diff --git a/bin/run.sh b/bin/run.sh
index 9ae768f1..cab223fb 100755
--- a/bin/run.sh
+++ b/bin/run.sh
@@ -26,10 +26,7 @@ if [ "$(id -u)" -eq 0 ] && [ $ignoreRoot -eq 0 ]; then
   echo "You shouldn't start Etherpad as root!"
   echo "Please type 'Etherpad rocks my socks' or supply the '--root' argument if you still want to start it as root"
   read rocks
-  if [ ! "$rocks" = "Etherpad rocks my socks" ]
-  then
-    fatal "Your input was incorrect"
-  fi
+  [ "$rocks" = "Etherpad rocks my socks" ] || fatal "Your input was incorrect"
 fi
 
 # Prepare the environment
diff --git a/bin/safeRun.sh b/bin/safeRun.sh
index fca97cb1..149f95d2 100755
--- a/bin/safeRun.sh
+++ b/bin/safeRun.sh
@@ -33,22 +33,16 @@ if [ -d "../bin" ]; then
 fi
 
 # Check if a logfile parameter is set
-if [ -z "${LOG}" ]; then
-  fatal "Set a logfile as the first parameter"
-fi
+[ -n "${LOG}" ] || fatal "Set a logfile as the first parameter"
 
 shift
 while [ 1 ]
 do
   # Try to touch the file if it doesn't exist
-  if [ ! -f ${LOG} ]; then
-    touch ${LOG} || fatal "Logfile '${LOG}' is not writeable"
-  fi
+  [ -f ${LOG} ] || touch ${LOG} || fatal "Logfile '${LOG}' is not writeable"
 
   # Check if the file is writeable
-  if [ ! -w ${LOG} ]; then
-    fatal "Logfile '${LOG}' is not writeable"
-  fi
+  [ -w ${LOG} ] || fatal "Logfile '${LOG}' is not writeable"
 
   # Start the application
   bin/run.sh $@ >>${LOG} 2>>${LOG}