diff --git a/compiler/incremental-compilation-impl/test/org/jetbrains/kotlin/incremental/AbstractIncrementalCompilerRunnerTestBase.kt b/compiler/incremental-compilation-impl/test/org/jetbrains/kotlin/incremental/AbstractIncrementalCompilerRunnerTestBase.kt
index d9b229fc9c1..0d2fba1cef3 100644
--- a/compiler/incremental-compilation-impl/test/org/jetbrains/kotlin/incremental/AbstractIncrementalCompilerRunnerTestBase.kt
+++ b/compiler/incremental-compilation-impl/test/org/jetbrains/kotlin/incremental/AbstractIncrementalCompilerRunnerTestBase.kt
@@ -41,11 +41,8 @@ abstract class AbstractIncrementalCompilerRunnerTestBase<Args : CommonCompilerAr
         val mapWorkingToOriginalFile = HashMap(copyTestSources(testDir, srcDir, filePrefix = ""))
         val sourceRoots = listOf(srcDir)
         val args = createCompilerArguments(outDir, testDir)
-        // initial build
-        val (_, _, errors) = make(cacheDir, sourceRoots, args)
-        if (errors.isNotEmpty()) {
-            throw IllegalStateException("Initial build failed: \n${errors.joinToString("\n")}")
-        }
+        val (_, _, errors) = initialMake(cacheDir, sourceRoots, args)
+        check(errors.isEmpty()) { "Initial build failed: \n${errors.joinToString("\n")}" }
 
         // modifications
         val buildLogFile = buildLogFinder.findBuildLog(testDir) ?: throw IllegalStateException("build log file not found in $workingDir")
@@ -72,7 +69,7 @@ abstract class AbstractIncrementalCompilerRunnerTestBase<Args : CommonCompilerAr
         var step = 1
         for ((modificationStep, buildLogStep) in modifications.zip(buildLogSteps)) {
             modificationStep.forEach { it.perform(workingDir, mapWorkingToOriginalFile) }
-            val (_, compiledSources, compileErrors) = make(cacheDir, sourceRoots, args)
+            val (_, compiledSources, compileErrors) = incrementalMake(cacheDir, sourceRoots, args)
 
             expectedSB.appendLine(stepLogAsString(step, buildLogStep.compiledKotlinFiles, buildLogStep.compileErrors))
             expectedSBWithoutErrors.appendLine(
@@ -100,6 +97,11 @@ abstract class AbstractIncrementalCompilerRunnerTestBase<Args : CommonCompilerAr
         rebuildAndCompareOutput(sourceRoots, testDir, buildLogSteps, outDir)
     }
 
+    // these functions are needed only to simplify debugging of IC tests
+    private fun initialMake(cacheDir: File, sourceRoots: List<File>, args: Args) = make(cacheDir, sourceRoots, args)
+
+    private fun incrementalMake(cacheDir: File, sourceRoots: List<File>, args: Args) = make(cacheDir, sourceRoots, args)
+
     protected open fun rebuildAndCompareOutput(
         sourceRoots: List<File>,
         testDir: File,