diff --git a/scripts/build-docs-l10n.sh b/scripts/build-docs-l10n.sh
index 237741116..301601881 100755
--- a/scripts/build-docs-l10n.sh
+++ b/scripts/build-docs-l10n.sh
@@ -65,17 +65,19 @@ for lang in "${!LANG_MAP[@]}"; do
 done
 
 # Merge translated FTL with English: translated keys take priority,
-# English keys fill in any gaps (handles empty files, partial translations)
-# Returns 0 if fully translated, 1 if English fallback was used
+# English keys fill in any gaps (handles empty files, partial translations).
+# Sets MERGE_HAD_FALLBACK=1 if any English fallback entries were added.
 merge_ftl() {
   local english="$1"
   local translated="$2"
   local output="$3"
+  MERGE_HAD_FALLBACK=0
 
   # If translated file is empty or missing, keep English as-is
   if [ ! -s "$translated" ]; then
     cp "$english" "$output"
-    return 1
+    MERGE_HAD_FALLBACK=1
+    return 0
   fi
 
   # Extract top-level message IDs from the translated file
@@ -87,7 +89,6 @@ merge_ftl() {
   cp "$translated" "$output"
 
   # Append English entries whose keys are NOT in the translated file
-  local had_fallback=0
   local current_key=""
   local entry_lines=""
   while IFS= read -r line || [ -n "$line" ]; do
@@ -95,10 +96,9 @@ merge_ftl() {
       # Flush previous entry if it was missing from translation
       if [ -n "$current_key" ] && ! echo "$translated_keys" | grep -qxF "$current_key"; then
         printf '%s\n' "$entry_lines" >> "$output"
-        had_fallback=1
+        MERGE_HAD_FALLBACK=1
       fi
-      current_key="${line%%[[:space:]]*=*}"
-      # Trim: extract just the identifier
+      # Extract just the identifier
       current_key=$(echo "$line" | grep -oP '^[a-zA-Z][a-zA-Z0-9_-]*')
       entry_lines="$line"
     elif [[ "$line" =~ ^[[:space:]] ]] && [ -n "$current_key" ]; then
@@ -108,7 +108,7 @@ merge_ftl() {
       # Blank line or comment — flush previous entry if needed
       if [ -n "$current_key" ] && ! echo "$translated_keys" | grep -qxF "$current_key"; then
         printf '%s\n' "$entry_lines" >> "$output"
-        had_fallback=1
+        MERGE_HAD_FALLBACK=1
       fi
       current_key=""
       entry_lines=""
@@ -117,9 +117,8 @@ merge_ftl() {
   # Flush last entry
   if [ -n "$current_key" ] && ! echo "$translated_keys" | grep -qxF "$current_key"; then
     printf '%s\n' "$entry_lines" >> "$output"
-    had_fallback=1
+    MERGE_HAD_FALLBACK=1
   fi
-  return $had_fallback
 }
 
 restore_en() {
@@ -127,12 +126,17 @@ restore_en() {
   for util_dir in "$COREUTILS_DIR"/src/uu/*/locales/; do
     util=$(basename "$(dirname "$util_dir")")
     backup="$TMPDIR/src-backup/uu/$util/locales/en-US.ftl"
-    [ -f "$backup" ] && cp "$backup" "${util_dir}en-US.ftl"
+    if [ -f "$backup" ]; then
+      cp "$backup" "${util_dir}en-US.ftl"
+    fi
   done
-  local uucore_backup="$TMPDIR/src-backup/uucore/locales/en-US.ftl"
-  [ -f "$uucore_backup" ] && cp "$uucore_backup" "$COREUTILS_DIR/src/uucore/locales/en-US.ftl"
+  if [ -f "$TMPDIR/src-backup/uucore/locales/en-US.ftl" ]; then
+    cp "$TMPDIR/src-backup/uucore/locales/en-US.ftl" "$COREUTILS_DIR/src/uucore/locales/en-US.ftl"
+  fi
   # Restore English tldr
-  [ -f "$EN_TLDR" ] && cp "$EN_TLDR" "$COREUTILS_DIR/docs/tldr.zip"
+  if [ -f "$EN_TLDR" ]; then
+    cp "$EN_TLDR" "$COREUTILS_DIR/docs/tldr.zip"
+  fi
 }
 
 cd "$COREUTILS_DIR"
@@ -154,7 +158,8 @@ for lang in "${!LANG_MAP[@]}"; do
     if [ -f "${util_dir}${ftl_name}.ftl" ]; then
       util=$(basename "$(dirname "$util_dir")")
       en_backup="$TMPDIR/src-backup/uu/$util/locales/en-US.ftl"
-      if ! merge_ftl "$en_backup" "${util_dir}${ftl_name}.ftl" "${util_dir}en-US.ftl"; then
+      merge_ftl "$en_backup" "${util_dir}${ftl_name}.ftl" "${util_dir}en-US.ftl"
+      if [ "$MERGE_HAD_FALLBACK" = "1" ]; then
         fallback_utils[$util]=1
       fi
     fi
@@ -176,10 +181,11 @@ for lang in "${!LANG_MAP[@]}"; do
   weblate_lang="${ftl_name//-/_}"
   for util in "${!fallback_utils[@]}"; do
     md_file="docs/src/utils/${util}.md"
-    [ -f "$md_file" ] || continue
-    notice="<div class=\"warning\">Some strings on this page have not been translated yet. You can help by <a href=\"https://hosted.weblate.org/projects/rust-coreutils/${util}/${weblate_lang}/\">translating them on Weblate</a>.</div>"
-    # Insert notice after the first line (# utility-name)
-    sed -i "1a\\${notice}" "$md_file"
+    if [ -f "$md_file" ]; then
+      notice="<div class=\"warning\">Some strings on this page have not been translated yet. You can help by <a href=\"https://hosted.weblate.org/projects/rust-coreutils/${util}/${weblate_lang}/\">translating them on Weblate</a>.</div>"
+      # Insert notice after the first line (# utility-name)
+      sed -i "1a\\${notice}" "$md_file"
+    fi
   done
   if [ ${#fallback_utils[@]} -gt 0 ]; then
     echo "  Added translation notice to ${#fallback_utils[@]} utilities with untranslated strings"