diff --git a/cmake_targets/build_oai b/cmake_targets/build_oai
index d8749ee39b..ca387cda32 100755
--- a/cmake_targets/build_oai
+++ b/cmake_targets/build_oai
@@ -4,8 +4,6 @@
 # file build_oai
 # brief OAI automated build tool that can be used to install, compile, run OAI.
 
-set -e
-
 # Include helper functions
 THIS_SCRIPT_PATH=$(dirname $(readlink -f "$0"))
 source "$THIS_SCRIPT_PATH"/tools/build_helper
@@ -132,16 +130,9 @@ function main() {
        --build-tool-opt)
             BUILD_TOOL_OPT+=" $2"
             shift 2;;
-       -c | --clean)
+       -c | --clean | -C | --clean-all)
             CLEAN=1
             shift;;
-       -C | --clean-all)
-            CLEAN_ALL=1
-            shift;;
-       --clean-kernel)
-            clean_kernel
-            echo_info "Erased iptables config and removed modules from kernel"
-            shift;;
        --cmake-opt)
             CMAKE_CMD="$CMAKE_CMD $2"
             shift 2;;
@@ -330,8 +321,8 @@ function main() {
               echo_info "Enabling build of all optional shared libraries ($OPTIONAL_LIBRARIES)" 
             else
               for reqlib in $2; do
-                lib=$(echo $OPTIONAL_LIBRARIES | tr ' ' '\n' | grep -w $reqlib) # search given parameter in list
-                [[ $? -ne 0 ]] && echo_fatal "Unknown optional library in $reqlib, valid libraries are $OPTIONAL_LIBRARIES"
+                lib=$(echo $OPTIONAL_LIBRARIES | tr ' ' '\n' | grep -w -- $reqlib) # search given parameter in list
+                [[ $? -ne 0 ]] && echo_fatal "Unknown optional library \"$reqlib\", valid libraries are: $OPTIONAL_LIBRARIES"
                 TARGET_LIST="$TARGET_LIST $lib" # will append the found library
                 CMAKE_CMD="$CMAKE_CMD -DENABLE_${lib^^}=ON"
                 echo_info "Enabling build of optional shared library $lib"
@@ -384,13 +375,8 @@ function main() {
 
   echo "OPENAIR_DIR    = $OPENAIR_DIR"
 
-  if [ "$CLEAN_ALL" = "1" ] ; then
-    clean_all_files
-    echo "Erased all previously producted files"
-  fi
-
-  dlog=$OPENAIR_DIR/cmake_targets/log
-  mkdir -p $dlog
+  DIR=$OPENAIR_DIR/cmake_targets
+  [ "$CLEAN" = "1" ] && rm -rf "$DIR/$BUILD_DIR"
 
   if [ "$INSTALL_EXTERNAL" = "1" ] ; then
     echo_info "Installing packages"
@@ -423,10 +409,6 @@ function main() {
     check_install_additional_tools
   fi
 
-  DIR=$OPENAIR_DIR/cmake_targets
-
-  [ "$CLEAN" = "1" ] && rm -rf $DIR/$BUILD_DIR/build
-
   if [[ $TARGET_LIST != "" ]] && [[ -f $OPENAIR_DIR/CMakeLists.txt ]]; then
     # add some default libraries that should always be built
     # for eNB, gNB, UEs, simulators
@@ -441,11 +423,10 @@ function main() {
     # e.g., cmake_targets/ran_build/build, hence the ../../..
     CMAKE_CMD="$CMAKE_CMD ../../.."
     echo_info "Running \"$CMAKE_CMD\""
-    eval $CMAKE_CMD
+    eval $CMAKE_CMD || echo_fatal "cmake configuration failed"
     cmd="$CMAKE --build . --target ${TARGET_LIST} -- ${BUILD_TOOL_OPT}"
     echo_info "Running \"${cmd}\"" $green
-    eval $cmd
-    ret=$?
+    eval $cmd || echo_fatal "build failed"
 
     if [ "$UE" = 1 ] ; then
       echo_info "Generate LTE USIM default sim content UE specific part"
diff --git a/cmake_targets/macros.cmake b/cmake_targets/macros.cmake
index 169ef600ce..c19eb285ef 100644
--- a/cmake_targets/macros.cmake
+++ b/cmake_targets/macros.cmake
@@ -83,7 +83,7 @@ function(run_asn1c ASN1C_GRAMMAR ASN1C_PREFIX)
   get_filename_component(GRAMMAR_FILE ${ASN1C_GRAMMAR} NAME)
   set(LOGFILE "${CMAKE_CURRENT_BINARY_DIR}/${GRAMMAR_FILE}.log")
   add_custom_command(OUTPUT ${ASN1C_OUTPUT}
-    COMMAND ASN1C_PREFIX=${ASN1C_PREFIX} ${ASN1C_EXEC} ${ASN1C_OPTIONS} -D ${CMAKE_CURRENT_BINARY_DIR} ${ASN1C_GRAMMAR} > ${LOGFILE} 2>&1 || cat ${LOGFILE}
+    COMMAND ASN1C_PREFIX=${ASN1C_PREFIX} ${ASN1C_EXEC} ${ASN1C_OPTIONS} -D ${CMAKE_CURRENT_BINARY_DIR} ${ASN1C_GRAMMAR} > ${LOGFILE} 2>&1 || ( cat ${LOGFILE} && false )
     DEPENDS ${ASN1C_GRAMMAR}
     COMMENT "Generating ${ASN1C_COMMENT} from ${GRAMMAR_FILE}"
   )
diff --git a/cmake_targets/tools/build_helper b/cmake_targets/tools/build_helper
index 32636a5bb2..2a18a0524e 100755
--- a/cmake_targets/tools/build_helper
+++ b/cmake_targets/tools/build_helper
@@ -120,32 +120,6 @@ handler_EXIT() {
 
 trap handler_EXIT EXIT
 
-###########################
-# Cleaners
-###########################
-
-clean_kernel() {
-    $SUDO modprobe ip_tables
-    $SUDO modprobe x_tables
-    $SUDO iptables -P INPUT ACCEPT
-    $SUDO iptables -F INPUT
-    $SUDO iptables -P OUTPUT ACCEPT
-    $SUDO iptables -F OUTPUT
-    $SUDO iptables -P FORWARD ACCEPT
-    $SUDO iptables -F FORWARD
-    $SUDO iptables -t nat -F
-    $SUDO iptables -t mangle -F
-    $SUDO iptables -t filter -F
-    $SUDO iptables -t raw -F
-    echo_info "Flushed iptables"
-}
-
-clean_all_files() {
- set_openair_env
- dir=$OPENAIR_DIR/cmake_targets
- rm -rf $dir/ran_build $dir/ran_build_noLOG
-}
-
 ############################################
 # External packages installers
 ############################################