diff --git a/.github/workflows/tests.yml b/.github/workflows/tests.yml
index 0ec8c072c..bb9945891 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/tests.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/tests.yml
@@ -141,6 +141,14 @@ jobs:
         run: |
           go run build.go
 
+      - name: Minimal test
+        run: |
+          ./restic init
+          ./restic backup .
+        env:
+          RESTIC_REPOSITORY: ../testrepo
+          RESTIC_PASSWORD: password
+
       - name: Run local Tests
         env:
           RESTIC_TEST_FUSE: ${{ matrix.test_fuse }}
diff --git a/cmd/restic/global.go b/cmd/restic/global.go
index 487fa9673..31d5aac16 100644
--- a/cmd/restic/global.go
+++ b/cmd/restic/global.go
@@ -151,7 +151,9 @@ func init() {
 	globalOptions.PasswordFile = os.Getenv("RESTIC_PASSWORD_FILE")
 	globalOptions.KeyHint = os.Getenv("RESTIC_KEY_HINT")
 	globalOptions.PasswordCommand = os.Getenv("RESTIC_PASSWORD_COMMAND")
-	globalOptions.RootCertFilenames = strings.Split(os.Getenv("RESTIC_CACERT"), ",")
+	if os.Getenv("RESTIC_CACERT") != "" {
+		globalOptions.RootCertFilenames = strings.Split(os.Getenv("RESTIC_CACERT"), ",")
+	}
 	globalOptions.TLSClientCertKeyFilename = os.Getenv("RESTIC_TLS_CLIENT_CERT")
 	comp := os.Getenv("RESTIC_COMPRESSION")
 	if comp != "" {
@@ -582,7 +584,7 @@ func open(ctx context.Context, s string, gopts GlobalOptions, opts options.Optio
 
 	rt, err := backend.Transport(globalOptions.TransportOptions)
 	if err != nil {
-		return nil, err
+		return nil, errors.Fatal(err.Error())
 	}
 
 	// wrap the transport so that the throughput via HTTP is limited
@@ -638,7 +640,7 @@ func create(ctx context.Context, s string, gopts GlobalOptions, opts options.Opt
 
 	rt, err := backend.Transport(globalOptions.TransportOptions)
 	if err != nil {
-		return nil, err
+		return nil, errors.Fatal(err.Error())
 	}
 
 	factory := gopts.backends.Lookup(loc.Scheme)