diff --git a/action.yml b/action.yml
index 975a66f..fb26c7b 100644
--- a/action.yml
+++ b/action.yml
@@ -50,15 +50,15 @@ runs:
         mkdir -p ./_plugin_checkout_/
         cd ./_plugin_checkout_/
 
-        echo "Cloning repository: ${{ inputs.BEC_PLUGIN_REPO_URL }}" >> $LOG_FILE 2>&1
-        echo "Using branch: ${{ inputs.BEC_PLUGIN_REPO_BRANCH }}" >> $LOG_FILE 2>&1
+        echo "Cloning repository: ${{ inputs.BEC_PLUGIN_REPO_URL }}" | tee -a "$LOG_FILE"
+        echo "Using branch: ${{ inputs.BEC_PLUGIN_REPO_BRANCH }}" | tee -a "$LOG_FILE"
 
         # Clone the repository with fallback for branch
-        if git clone --depth 1 --branch "${{ inputs.BEC_PLUGIN_REPO_BRANCH }}" "${{ inputs.BEC_PLUGIN_REPO_URL }}" >> $LOG_FILE 2>&1; then
-          echo "Successfully cloned with branch ${{ inputs.BEC_PLUGIN_REPO_BRANCH }}" >> $LOG_FILE 2>&1
+        if git clone --depth 1 --branch "${{ inputs.BEC_PLUGIN_REPO_BRANCH }}" "${{ inputs.BEC_PLUGIN_REPO_URL }}" | tee -a "$LOG_FILE"; then
+          echo "Successfully cloned with branch ${{ inputs.BEC_PLUGIN_REPO_BRANCH }}" | tee -a "$LOG_FILE"
         else
-          echo "Failed to clone with branch ${{ inputs.BEC_PLUGIN_REPO_BRANCH }}, trying without specific branch" >> $LOG_FILE 2>&1
-          git clone --depth 1 "${{ inputs.BEC_PLUGIN_REPO_URL }}" >> $LOG_FILE 2>&1
+          echo "Failed to clone with branch ${{ inputs.BEC_PLUGIN_REPO_BRANCH }}, trying without specific branch" | tee -a "$LOG_FILE"
+          git clone --depth 1 "${{ inputs.BEC_PLUGIN_REPO_URL }}" | tee -a "$LOG_FILE"
         fi
 
         cd ../
@@ -82,19 +82,19 @@ runs:
         OUTPUT_DIR="$PWD/outputs" # absolute path
         LOG_FILE="${OUTPUT_DIR}/checkout_bec_core.log"
 
-        echo "Cloning BEC Core repository" >> $LOG_FILE 2>&1
-        echo "Using branch: ${{ inputs.BEC_CORE_BRANCH }}" >> $LOG_FILE 2>&1
+        echo "Cloning BEC Core repository" | tee -a "$LOG_FILE"
+        echo "Using branch: ${{ inputs.BEC_CORE_BRANCH }}" | tee -a "$LOG_FILE"
 
         # Create a temporary directory for the plugin repository
         mkdir -p ./_bec_checkout_/
         cd ./_bec_checkout_/
 
         # Clone the repository with fallback for branch
-        if git clone --depth 1 --branch "${{ inputs.BEC_CORE_BRANCH }}" https://github.com/bec-project/bec.git >> $LOG_FILE 2>&1; then
-          echo "Successfully cloned with branch ${{ inputs.BEC_CORE_BRANCH }}" >> $LOG_FILE 2>&1
+        if git clone --depth 1 --branch "${{ inputs.BEC_CORE_BRANCH }}" https://github.com/bec-project/bec.git | tee -a "$LOG_FILE"; then
+          echo "Successfully cloned with branch ${{ inputs.BEC_CORE_BRANCH }}" | tee -a "$LOG_FILE"
         else
-          echo "Failed to clone with branch ${{ inputs.BEC_CORE_BRANCH }}, trying without specific branch" >> $LOG_FILE 2>&1
-          git clone --depth 1 https://github.com/bec-project/bec.git >> $LOG_FILE 2>&1
+          echo "Failed to clone with branch ${{ inputs.BEC_CORE_BRANCH }}, trying without specific branch" | tee -a "$LOG_FILE"
+          git clone --depth 1 https://github.com/bec-project/bec.git | tee -a "$LOG_FILE"
         fi
 
         echo "Exit Code: 0" >> $LOG_FILE
@@ -118,15 +118,15 @@ runs:
         mkdir -p ./_ophyd_devices_checkout_/
         cd ./_ophyd_devices_checkout_/
 
-        echo "Cloning Ophyd Devices repository" >> $LOG_FILE 2>&1
-        echo "Using branch: ${{ inputs.OPHYD_DEVICES_BRANCH }}" >> $LOG_FILE 2>&1
+        echo "Cloning Ophyd Devices repository" | tee -a "$LOG_FILE"
+        echo "Using branch: ${{ inputs.OPHYD_DEVICES_BRANCH }}" | tee -a "$LOG_FILE"
 
         # Clone the repository with fallback for branch
-        if git clone --depth 1 --branch "${{ inputs.OPHYD_DEVICES_BRANCH }}" https://github.com/bec-project/ophyd_devices.git >> $LOG_FILE 2>&1; then
-          echo "Successfully cloned with branch ${{ inputs.OPHYD_DEVICES_BRANCH }}" >> $LOG_FILE 2>&1
+        if git clone --depth 1 --branch "${{ inputs.OPHYD_DEVICES_BRANCH }}" https://github.com/bec-project/ophyd_devices.git | tee -a "$LOG_FILE"; then
+          echo "Successfully cloned with branch ${{ inputs.OPHYD_DEVICES_BRANCH }}" | tee -a "$LOG_FILE"
         else
-          echo "Failed to clone with branch ${{ inputs.OPHYD_DEVICES_BRANCH }}, trying without specific branch" >> $LOG_FILE 2>&1
-          git clone --depth 1 https://github.com/bec-project/ophyd_devices.git >> $LOG_FILE 2>&1
+          echo "Failed to clone with branch ${{ inputs.OPHYD_DEVICES_BRANCH }}, trying without specific branch" | tee -a "$LOG_FILE"
+          git clone --depth 1 https://github.com/bec-project/ophyd_devices.git | tee -a "$LOG_FILE"
         fi
 
         echo "Exit Code: 0" >> $LOG_FILE
@@ -152,15 +152,15 @@ runs:
         cd ./_bec_widgets_checkout_/
 
 
-        echo "Cloning BEC Widgets repository" >> $LOG_FILE 2>&1
-        echo "Using branch: ${{ inputs.BEC_WIDGETS_BRANCH }}" >> $LOG_FILE 2>&1
+        echo "Cloning BEC Widgets repository" | tee -a "$LOG_FILE"
+        echo "Using branch: ${{ inputs.BEC_WIDGETS_BRANCH }}" | tee -a "$LOG_FILE"
 
         # Clone the repository with fallback for branch
-        if git clone --depth 1 --branch "${{ inputs.BEC_WIDGETS_BRANCH }}" https://github.com/bec-project/bec_widgets.git >> $LOG_FILE 2>&1; then
-          echo "Successfully cloned with branch ${{ inputs.BEC_WIDGETS_BRANCH }}" >> $LOG_FILE 2>&1
+        if git clone --depth 1 --branch "${{ inputs.BEC_WIDGETS_BRANCH }}" https://github.com/bec-project/bec_widgets.git | tee -a "$LOG_FILE"; then
+          echo "Successfully cloned with branch ${{ inputs.BEC_WIDGETS_BRANCH }}" | tee -a "$LOG_FILE"
         else
-          echo "Failed to clone with branch ${{ inputs.BEC_WIDGETS_BRANCH }}, trying without specific branch" >> $LOG_FILE 2>&1
-          git clone --depth 1 https://github.com/bec-project/bec_widgets.git >> $LOG_FILE 2>&1
+          echo "Failed to clone with branch ${{ inputs.BEC_WIDGETS_BRANCH }}, trying without specific branch" | tee -a "$LOG_FILE"
+          git clone --depth 1 https://github.com/bec-project/bec_widgets.git | tee -a "$LOG_FILE"
         fi
 
         echo "Exit Code: 0" >> $LOG_FILE
@@ -180,9 +180,9 @@ runs:
         OUTPUT_DIR="$PWD/outputs" # absolute path
         LOG_FILE="${OUTPUT_DIR}/install_apt_packages.log"
 
-        echo "Installing additional APT packages: ${{ inputs.APT_PACKAGES }}" >> $LOG_FILE 2>&1
-        sudo apt-get update >> $LOG_FILE 2>&1
-        sudo apt-get install -y ${{ inputs.APT_PACKAGES }} >> $LOG_FILE 2>&1
+        echo "Installing additional APT packages: ${{ inputs.APT_PACKAGES }}" | tee -a "$LOG_FILE"
+        sudo apt-get update | tee -a "$LOG_FILE"
+        sudo apt-get install -y ${{ inputs.APT_PACKAGES }} | tee -a "$LOG_FILE"
 
         echo "Exit Code: 0" >> $LOG_FILE
         echo "Completed APT package installation"
@@ -203,22 +203,22 @@ runs:
         OUTPUT_DIR="$PWD/outputs" # absolute path
         LOG_FILE="${OUTPUT_DIR}/install_python_dependencies.log"
 
-        echo "Installing Python dependencies" >> $LOG_FILE 2>&1
-        echo "Using Python version: $(python --version)" >> $LOG_FILE 2>&1
+        echo "Installing Python dependencies" | tee -a "$LOG_FILE"
+        echo "Using Python version: $(python --version)" | tee -a "$LOG_FILE"
 
-        python -m pip install --upgrade pip >> $LOG_FILE 2>&1
+        python -m pip install --upgrade pip | tee -a "$LOG_FILE"
 
         # Install Core dependencies
-        pip install uv >> $LOG_FILE 2>&1
-        uv pip install --system -e ./_bec_checkout_/bec/bec_lib/[dev] >> $LOG_FILE 2>&1
-        uv pip install --system -e ./_bec_checkout_/bec/bec_ipython_client >> $LOG_FILE 2>&1
-        uv pip install --system -e ./_bec_checkout_/bec/bec_server[dev] >> $LOG_FILE 2>&1
-        uv pip install --system -e ./_bec_widgets_checkout_/bec_widgets[dev,pyside6] >> $LOG_FILE 2>&1
-        uv pip install --system -e ./_ophyd_devices_checkout_/ophyd_devices[dev] >> $LOG_FILE 2>&1
+        pip install uv | tee -a "$LOG_FILE"
+        uv pip install --system -e ./_bec_checkout_/bec/bec_lib/[dev] | tee -a "$LOG_FILE"
+        uv pip install --system -e ./_bec_checkout_/bec/bec_ipython_client | tee -a "$LOG_FILE"
+        uv pip install --system -e ./_bec_checkout_/bec/bec_server[dev] | tee -a "$LOG_FILE"
+        uv pip install --system -e ./_bec_widgets_checkout_/bec_widgets[dev,pyside6] | tee -a "$LOG_FILE"
+        uv pip install --system -e ./_ophyd_devices_checkout_/ophyd_devices[dev] | tee -a "$LOG_FILE"
 
         # plugin repo name was stored earlier
         source $GITHUB_ENV
-        pip install -e "./_plugin_checkout_/${PLUGIN_REPO_NAME}[dev]" >> $LOG_FILE 2>&1
+        pip install -e "./_plugin_checkout_/${PLUGIN_REPO_NAME}[dev]" | tee -a "$LOG_FILE"
 
         echo "Exit Code: 0" >> $LOG_FILE
         echo "Completed Python dependencies installation"
@@ -234,16 +234,16 @@ runs:
         OUTPUT_DIR="$PWD/outputs" # absolute path
         LOG_FILE="${OUTPUT_DIR}/pytest_plugin.log"
 
-        echo "Running pytest for plugin repository" >> $LOG_FILE 2>&1
+        echo "Running pytest for plugin repository" | tee -a "$LOG_FILE"
 
         source $GITHUB_ENV
         cd "./_plugin_checkout_/${PLUGIN_REPO_NAME}"
         # run pytest and capture its exit code
         pytest --random-order --cov=. --cov-config=./pyproject.toml \
               --cov-branch --cov-report=xml --no-cov-on-fail ./tests/ \
-              >> "$LOG_FILE" 2>&1 || rc=$?
-        
-        rc=${rc:-0}
+              2>&1 | tee -a "$LOG_FILE"
+        rc=${PIPESTATUS[0]}   # exit code of pytest in a pipe
+
         if [ "$rc" -eq 0 ] || [ "$rc" -eq 5 ]; then
           echo "Exit Code: 0" >> $LOG_FILE
         else