diff --git a/tests/Makefile.in b/tests/Makefile.in
index 8ed8e3473c..6cd4f669c7 100644
--- a/tests/Makefile.in
+++ b/tests/Makefile.in
@@ -31,8 +31,7 @@ RUNTESTS_DEFAULT_=$(RUNTESTS_V$(V)_DEFAULT)
 RUNTESTS_ARGS=$(RUNTESTS_DEFAULT_$(TESTS)) $(TESTS)
 
 # To run specific tests, run e.g. 'make check TESTS="rx/foo opr/foo"'
-check test tests: runtests
-	@for A in $(SUBDIRS); do cd $$A && $(MAKE) $@ && cd .. || exit 1; done
+check test tests: all runtests
 	MAKECHECK=1 $(abs_top_srcdir)/tests/libwrap @TOP_OBJDIR@/lib \
 	    ./runtests $(RUNTESTS_ARGS)
 
diff --git a/tests/auth/Makefile.in b/tests/auth/Makefile.in
index ffa7f670cb..df73ed4dbb 100644
--- a/tests/auth/Makefile.in
+++ b/tests/auth/Makefile.in
@@ -8,7 +8,7 @@ BINS = authcon-t superuser-t keys-t realms-t writekeyfile
 
 MODULE_CFLAGS=-I$(TOP_OBJDIR) -I$(srcdir)/../common/
 
-all check test tests: $(BINS)
+all: $(BINS)
 
 MODULE_LIBS = 	$(abs_top_builddir)/tests/common/libafstest_common.la \
 		$(abs_top_builddir)/src/auth/liboafs_auth.la \
diff --git a/tests/cmd/Makefile.in b/tests/cmd/Makefile.in
index ede656e342..ac359329b4 100644
--- a/tests/cmd/Makefile.in
+++ b/tests/cmd/Makefile.in
@@ -14,7 +14,7 @@ LIBS = $(abs_top_builddir)/tests/common/libafstest_common.la \
 
 BINS = command-t
 
-all check test tests: $(BINS)
+all: $(BINS)
 
 command-t: command-t.o $(LIBS)
 	$(LT_LDRULE_static) command-t.o $(LIBS) $(LIB_roken) $(XLIBS)
diff --git a/tests/common/Makefile.in b/tests/common/Makefile.in
index f9cdcb03cd..f7a39af206 100644
--- a/tests/common/Makefile.in
+++ b/tests/common/Makefile.in
@@ -12,7 +12,7 @@ LT_libs = $(LIB_rfc3961) $(LIB_roken)
 LT_deps = $(top_builddir)/tests/tap/libafstest_tap.la \
 	  $(top_builddir)/src/util/liboafs_util.la
 
-all check test tests: libafstest_common.la
+all: libafstest_common.la
 
 # This library is just used internally for our tests, so use
 # LT_LDLIB_shlib_internal so we don't need to manage a .sym export list.
diff --git a/tests/opr/Makefile.in b/tests/opr/Makefile.in
index 6fecf335d9..33a7cd5b90 100644
--- a/tests/opr/Makefile.in
+++ b/tests/opr/Makefile.in
@@ -11,7 +11,7 @@ LIBS=	$(abs_top_builddir)/tests/common/libafstest_common.la \
 BINS = cache-t dict-t fmt-t jhash-t queues-t rbtree-t softsig-helper time-t \
        uuid-t
 
-all check test tests: $(BINS)
+all: $(BINS)
 
 cache-t: cache-t.o $(LIBS)
 	$(LT_LDRULE_static) cache-t.o $(LIBS) $(XLIBS)
diff --git a/tests/rx/Makefile.in b/tests/rx/Makefile.in
index 88c3f9e761..5af2d171b5 100644
--- a/tests/rx/Makefile.in
+++ b/tests/rx/Makefile.in
@@ -12,7 +12,7 @@ LIBS = $(abs_top_builddir)/tests/common/libafstest_common.la \
 
 BINS = event-t
 
-all check test tests: $(BINS)
+all: $(BINS)
 
 event-t: event-t.o $(LIBS)
 	$(LT_LDRULE_static) event-t.o $(LIBS) $(LIB_roken) $(XLIBS)
diff --git a/tests/tap/Makefile.in b/tests/tap/Makefile.in
index 5ddf41b570..ecb3c62d19 100644
--- a/tests/tap/Makefile.in
+++ b/tests/tap/Makefile.in
@@ -7,7 +7,7 @@ include @TOP_OBJDIR@/src/config/Makefile.pthread
 
 LT_objs = basic.lo
 
-all check test tests: libafstest_tap.la basic.h macros.h libtap.sh
+all: libafstest_tap.la basic.h macros.h libtap.sh
 
 CFLAGS_basic.lo = @CFLAGS_NOERROR@ -I$(tapdir)/../..
 basic.lo: $(tapdir)/basic.c $(tapdir)/basic.h
diff --git a/tests/util/Makefile.in b/tests/util/Makefile.in
index 271783b3a4..ea4e5c87d7 100644
--- a/tests/util/Makefile.in
+++ b/tests/util/Makefile.in
@@ -14,7 +14,7 @@ LIBS = $(abs_top_builddir)/tests/common/libafstest_common.la \
 
 BINS = ktime-t exec-alt-t volutil-t
 
-all check test tests: $(BINS)
+all: $(BINS)
 
 ktime-t: ktime-t.lo $(LIBS)
 	$(LT_LDRULE_static) ktime-t.lo $(LIBS) $(XLIBS)
diff --git a/tests/volser/Makefile.in b/tests/volser/Makefile.in
index 063003f253..342b1b6983 100644
--- a/tests/volser/Makefile.in
+++ b/tests/volser/Makefile.in
@@ -8,7 +8,7 @@ BINS = vos-t
 
 MODULE_CFLAGS=-I$(TOP_OBJDIR) -I$(srcdir)/../common/
 
-all check test tests: $(BINS)
+all: $(BINS)
 
 MODULE_LIBS = 	$(abs_top_builddir)/tests/common/libafstest_common.la \
 		$(abs_top_builddir)/src/vlserver/liboafs_vldb.la \