diff --git a/bazel/labgrid/runner/runner.py b/bazel/labgrid/runner/runner.py
index 0a15d9fd2f33646cd62f52f7b236f317c866e673..3f9754c7299eb4d5d7818c6e267b4508feb79d27 100644
--- a/bazel/labgrid/runner/runner.py
+++ b/bazel/labgrid/runner/runner.py
@@ -112,12 +112,12 @@ class Runner:
                 if not download.optional and code == 0:
                     raise e
 
-    def run(self, cmd: str, env: Mapping[str, str] = {}) -> int:
+    def run(self, cmd: str, env: Mapping[str, str] = {}, check=False) -> int:
         """Run a command on the device with given environment variables."""
         cmd = (
             f"cd {self._exec_root} && {self._tools.env(self._default_env() | env, cmd)}"
         )
-        out, err, code = self._run(cmd, check=False)
+        out, err, code = self._run(cmd, check=check)
         for line in out:
             stdout.write(f"{line}{linesep}")
         for line in err:
diff --git a/examples/custom-runners/archive-transfer/run.py b/examples/custom-runners/archive-transfer/run.py
index 552256db60e85120cf092cc978abda57353c5b7a..b7b92ce7c561f907136d776888b28c3cab433f6e 100644
--- a/examples/custom-runners/archive-transfer/run.py
+++ b/examples/custom-runners/archive-transfer/run.py
@@ -32,12 +32,11 @@ def main():
         uploads = [archive, unzip]
 
         r.put(uploads)
+        r.run(f"{unzip.remote} {archive.remote}", check=True)
 
-        code, _ = r.run(f"{unzip.remote} {archive.remote}")
-        if code != 0:
-            raise Exception(code)
-
-        code, stdout = r.run(f"{args.program.name} {''.join(args.arguments)}")
+        code, stdout = r.run(
+            f"{args.program.name} {''.join(args.arguments)}", check=True
+        )
 
         with args.out.open("w") as f:
             print(stdout, file=f)