diff --git a/scripts/orchestra_e2e_healthcheck.sh b/scripts/orchestra_e2e_healthcheck.sh
index 45536f2..50eede8 100755
--- a/scripts/orchestra_e2e_healthcheck.sh
+++ b/scripts/orchestra_e2e_healthcheck.sh
@@ -1,14 +1,23 @@
 #!/usr/bin/env bash
 
+# emit <format> <template> [args...]: the single output path.
+# format: text or json print; none suppresses (--quiet). Explicit argument,
+# never read from an enclosing variable.
+emit() {
+  local format=$1
+  shift
+  [ "$format" = none ] || printf "$@"
+}
+
 main() {
   local quiet=
   local json=
   for arg in "$@"; do
     if [ "$arg" = --help ]; then
-      printf 'Usage: %s [--quiet]\n\n' "${0##*/}"
-      printf 'Healthcheck script for Orchestra E2E tests.\n'
-      printf 'Exits 0 with a success message if all checks pass.\n'
-      printf '  --quiet  Suppress the success message; still exits 0.\n'
+      emit text 'Usage: %s [--quiet]\n\n' "${0##*/}"
+      emit text 'Healthcheck script for Orchestra E2E tests.\n'
+      emit text 'Exits 0 with a success message if all checks pass.\n'
+      emit text '  --quiet  Suppress the success message; still exits 0.\n'
       exit 0
     elif [ "$arg" = --quiet ]; then
       quiet=1
@@ -17,12 +26,16 @@ main() {
     fi
   done
 
-  if [ -n "$json" ]; then
-    printf '{"status":"ok","checks":1}\n'
+  local format=text
+  [ -n "$quiet" ] && format=none
+  [ -n "$json" ] && format=json
+
+  if [ "$format" = json ]; then
+    emit "$format" '{"status":"ok","checks":1}\n'
     exit 0
   fi
 
-  [ -n "$quiet" ] || printf 'OK - all healthchecks passed\n'
+  emit "$format" 'OK - all healthchecks passed\n'
   exit 0
 }