diff --git a/repos/base/run/ds_ownership.run b/repos/base/run/ds_ownership.run
index 038c4a7c8..f682db889 100644
--- a/repos/base/run/ds_ownership.run
+++ b/repos/base/run/ds_ownership.run
@@ -33,10 +33,7 @@ install_config {
 
 build_boot_image "core init test-ds_ownership"
 
-run_genode_until {.*Test ended.*\.} 10
+append qemu_args "-nographic -m 64"
 
-grep_output {\[init -\> test-ds_ownership\] Test ended}
+run_genode_until {.*test succeeded.*\n} 10
 
-compare_output_to {
-	[init -> test-ds_ownership] Test ended successfully.
-}
diff --git a/repos/base/src/core/ram_session_component.cc b/repos/base/src/core/ram_session_component.cc
index 70a5e27c7..087be5fc8 100644
--- a/repos/base/src/core/ram_session_component.cc
+++ b/repos/base/src/core/ram_session_component.cc
@@ -34,13 +34,13 @@ addr_t Ram_session_component::phys_addr(Ram_dataspace_capability ds)
 
 void Ram_session_component::_free_ds(Dataspace_capability ds_cap)
 {
-	Dataspace_component *ds;
+	Dataspace_component *ds = nullptr;
 	_ds_ep->apply(ds_cap, [&] (Dataspace_component *c)
 	{
-		ds = c;
+		if (!c) return;
+		if (!c->owner(this)) return;
 
-		if (!ds) return;
-		if (!ds->owner(this)) return;
+		ds = c;
 
 		size_t ds_size = ds->size();
 
@@ -62,7 +62,8 @@ void Ram_session_component::_free_ds(Dataspace_capability ds_cap)
 	});
 
 	/* call dataspace destructors and free memory */
-	destroy(&_ds_slab, ds);
+	if (ds)
+		destroy(&_ds_slab, ds);
 }
 
 
diff --git a/repos/base/src/test/ds_ownership/main.cc b/repos/base/src/test/ds_ownership/main.cc
index c1e98f6ec..28ce8d03d 100644
--- a/repos/base/src/test/ds_ownership/main.cc
+++ b/repos/base/src/test/ds_ownership/main.cc
@@ -1,57 +1,53 @@
 /*
  * \brief  Testing the distinction between user and owner of a RAM dataspace
  * \author Martin Stein
+ * \author Norman Feske
  * \date   2012-04-19
- *
  */
 
 /*
- * Copyright (C) 2008-2013 Genode Labs GmbH
+ * Copyright (C) 2008-2016 Genode Labs GmbH
  *
  * This file is part of the Genode OS framework, which is distributed
  * under the terms of the GNU General Public License version 2.
  */
 
 /* Genode includes */
-#include <base/env.h>
 #include <ram_session/connection.h>
-#include <base/printf.h>
-
-using namespace Genode;
+#include <base/log.h>
+#include <base/component.h>
 
 
-int main(int argc, char **argv)
+void Component::construct(Genode::Env &env)
 {
-	/* Create some RAM sessions */
-	printf("Dataspace ownership test\n");
-	static Ram_connection ram_1;
-	static Ram_connection ram_2;
+	using namespace Genode;
 
-	/* Allocate dataspace at one of the RAM sessions */
-	ram_1.ref_account(env()->ram_session_cap());
-	env()->ram_session()->transfer_quota(ram_1.cap(), 8*1024);
+	log("--- dataspace ownership test ---");
+
+	static Ram_connection ram_1 { env };
+	static Ram_connection ram_2 { env };
+
+	log("allocate dataspace from one RAM session");
+	ram_1.ref_account(env.ram_session_cap());
+	env.ram().transfer_quota(ram_1.cap(), 8*1024);
 	Ram_dataspace_capability ds = ram_1.alloc(sizeof(unsigned));
 
-	/* Try to free dataspace at another RAM session */
+	log("attempt to free dataspace from foreign RAM session");
 	ram_2.free(ds);
 
-	/* Check if dataspace was falsely freed */
-	try { env()->rm_session()->attach(ds); }
-	catch (...) {
-		printf("Test ended faulty.\n");
-		return -2;
-	}
+	log("try to attach dataspace to see if it still exists");
+	env.rm().attach(ds);
 
-	/* Try to free dataspace at its originating RAM session */
+	log("attach operation succeeded");
+
+	log("free dataspace from legitimate RAM session");
+	size_t const quota_before_free = ram_1.avail();
 	ram_1.free(ds);
+	size_t const quota_after_free = ram_1.avail();
 
-	/* Check if dataspace was freed as expected */
-	try { env()->rm_session()->attach(ds); }
-	catch (...) {
-		printf("Test ended successfully.\n");
-		return 0;
-	}
-	printf("Test ended faulty.\n");
-	return -4;
+	if (quota_after_free > quota_before_free)
+		log("test succeeded");
+	else
+		error("test failed");
 }
 
diff --git a/tool/autopilot.list b/tool/autopilot.list
index b1f07be5d..c34733c49 100644
--- a/tool/autopilot.list
+++ b/tool/autopilot.list
@@ -66,3 +66,4 @@ clipboard
 rust
 xml_node
 fpu
+ds_ownership