diff --git a/Makefile.tests b/Makefile.tests
index d7b2e948e0..e1b7e0e046 100644
--- a/Makefile.tests
+++ b/Makefile.tests
@@ -18,6 +18,6 @@ AM_CPPFLAGS +=					\
 	-DNAMED_PLUGINDIR=\"$(pkglibdir)\"	\
 	-DTESTS_DIR=\"$(abs_srcdir)\"
 
-LDADD +=					\
-	$(top_builddir)/tests/libtest.la		\
+LDADD +=						\
+	$(top_builddir)/tests/libtest/libtest.la	\
 	$(CMOCKA_LIBS)
diff --git a/configure.ac b/configure.ac
index b6b546e6c4..6d7f5feb54 100644
--- a/configure.ac
+++ b/configure.ac
@@ -1586,7 +1586,8 @@ AC_CONFIG_FILES([tests/Makefile
 		 tests/dns/Makefile
 		 tests/ns/Makefile
 		 tests/irs/Makefile
-		 tests/isccfg/Makefile])
+		 tests/isccfg/Makefile
+		 tests/libtest/Makefile])
 
 AC_CONFIG_FILES([tests/unit-test-driver.sh],
 		[chmod +x tests/unit-test-driver.sh])
diff --git a/tests/Makefile.am b/tests/Makefile.am
index 0a19bb1d1f..8b5dcbe842 100644
--- a/tests/Makefile.am
+++ b/tests/Makefile.am
@@ -12,19 +12,5 @@ LDADD +=			\
 	$(LIBDNS_LIBS)		\
 	$(LIBNS_LIBS)
 
-SUBDIRS = . isc dns ns isccfg irs
-
-check_LTLIBRARIES = libtest.la
-
-noinst_libtest_ladir = .
-noinst_libtest_la_HEADERS =		\
-	include/tests/dns.h		\
-	include/tests/isc.h		\
-	include/tests/ns.h
-libtest_la_SOURCES =			\
-	$(noinst_libtest_la_HEADERS)	\
-	dns.c				\
-	isc.c				\
-	ns.c
-
-include $(top_srcdir)/Makefile.tests
+SUBDIRS = libtest isc dns ns isccfg irs
+check_PROGRAMS =
diff --git a/tests/libtest/Makefile.am b/tests/libtest/Makefile.am
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..2699f4bfcf
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/libtest/Makefile.am
@@ -0,0 +1,28 @@
+include $(top_srcdir)/Makefile.top
+
+AM_CPPFLAGS +=			\
+	$(LIBISC_CFLAGS)	\
+	$(LIBDNS_CFLAGS)	\
+	$(LIBNS_CFLAGS)		\
+	$(LIBUV_CFLAGS)		\
+	-I$(top_srcdir)/lib/isc
+
+LDADD +=			\
+	$(LIBISC_LIBS)		\
+	$(LIBDNS_LIBS)		\
+	$(LIBNS_LIBS)
+
+check_LTLIBRARIES = libtest.la
+
+noinst_libtest_ladir = ..
+noinst_libtest_la_HEADERS =		\
+	../include/tests/dns.h		\
+	../include/tests/isc.h		\
+	../include/tests/ns.h
+libtest_la_SOURCES =			\
+	$(noinst_libtest_la_HEADERS)	\
+	dns.c				\
+	isc.c				\
+	ns.c
+
+include $(top_srcdir)/Makefile.tests
diff --git a/tests/dns.c b/tests/libtest/dns.c
similarity index 100%
rename from tests/dns.c
rename to tests/libtest/dns.c
diff --git a/tests/isc.c b/tests/libtest/isc.c
similarity index 100%
rename from tests/isc.c
rename to tests/libtest/isc.c
diff --git a/tests/ns.c b/tests/libtest/ns.c
similarity index 100%
rename from tests/ns.c
rename to tests/libtest/ns.c