diff --git a/Jenkinsfile b/Jenkinsfile
index de0ebae..f8052d6 100644
--- a/Jenkinsfile
+++ b/Jenkinsfile
@@ -82,19 +82,22 @@ pipeline {
                                 echo "✅ Terraform backend created successfully"
                             } else {
                                 echo "⚠️ Terraform apply failed, checking if resources already exist..."
-                                def bucketCheck = sh(
-                                    script: "aws s3api head-bucket --bucket ${TF_BACKEND_BUCKET} --region ${TF_VAR_aws_region} 2>/dev/null && echo 'exists' || echo 'missing'",
-                                    returnStdout: true
-                                ).trim()
-                                def tableCheck = sh(
-                                    script: "aws dynamodb describe-table --table-name ${TF_DDB_TABLE} --region ${TF_VAR_aws_region} 2>/dev/null && echo 'exists' || echo 'missing'",
-                                    returnStdout: true
-                                ).trim()
+                                def bucketExists = sh(
+                                    script: "aws s3api head-bucket --bucket ${TF_BACKEND_BUCKET} --region ${TF_VAR_aws_region} 2>/dev/null",
+                                    returnStatus: true
+                                ) == 0
+                                def tableExists = sh(
+                                    script: "aws dynamodb describe-table --table-name ${TF_DDB_TABLE} --region ${TF_VAR_aws_region} 2>/dev/null",
+                                    returnStatus: true
+                                ) == 0
                                 
-                                if (bucketCheck == "exists" && tableCheck == "exists") {
+                                if (bucketExists && tableExists) {
                                     echo "✅ Terraform backend already exists - continuing..."
                                 } else {
-                                    error("❌ Backend bootstrap failed and resources don't exist. Manual intervention required.")
+                                    echo "❌ Backend bootstrap failed and resources don't exist:"
+                                    echo "   S3 Bucket exists: ${bucketExists}"
+                                    echo "   DynamoDB Table exists: ${tableExists}"
+                                    error("Manual intervention required.")
                                 }
                             }
                         }