diff --git a/ocaml/Makefile.am b/ocaml/Makefile.am
index bc1d1305c..21523125f 100644
--- a/ocaml/Makefile.am
+++ b/ocaml/Makefile.am
@@ -105,7 +105,8 @@ clean-local:
 
 endif
 
-TESTS_ENVIRONMENT = $(top_builddir)/run --test $(VG)
+TESTS_ENVIRONMENT = $(top_builddir)/run --test
+LOG_COMPILER = $(VG)
 
 test_progs_bc = \
 	t/guestfs_010_load.bc \
@@ -164,7 +165,7 @@ if HAVE_OCAMLOPT
 endif
 
 check-valgrind:
-	$(MAKE) VG="$(top_builddir)/run @VG@" TESTS="$(test_progs_all)" check
+	$(MAKE) VG="@VG@" TESTS="$(test_progs_all)" check
 
 CLEANFILES += bindtests.tmp
 
diff --git a/src/Makefile.am b/src/Makefile.am
index 25c6fa34d..3ebb7f585 100644
--- a/src/Makefile.am
+++ b/src/Makefile.am
@@ -253,7 +253,8 @@ endif
 # internal tests of utility functions.  Note we don't just test what's
 # in utils.c, we can test other functions as well here.
 
-TESTS_ENVIRONMENT = $(top_builddir)/run --test $(VG)
+TESTS_ENVIRONMENT = $(top_builddir)/run --test
+LOG_COMPILER = $(VG)
 
 TESTS = test-utils
 check_PROGRAMS = test-utils
diff --git a/tests/c-api/Makefile.am b/tests/c-api/Makefile.am
index 6503d942f..40fe33ea2 100644
--- a/tests/c-api/Makefile.am
+++ b/tests/c-api/Makefile.am
@@ -80,7 +80,8 @@ TESTS_ENVIRONMENT = \
 	SKIP_TEST_COMMAND=$(shell ldd test-command | grep -sq 'not a dynamic executable' || echo 1) \
 	SKIP_TEST_COMMAND_LINES=$(shell ldd test-command | grep -sq 'not a dynamic executable' || echo 1) \
 	SKIP_TEST_COMMAND=$(shell ldd test-pwd | grep -sq 'not a dynamic executable' || echo 1) \
-	$(top_builddir)/run --test $(VG)
+	$(top_builddir)/run --test
+LOG_COMPILER = $(VG)
 
 #SKIP_TEST_CHECKSUM_8=$(shell if test `find ../initramfs -name squashfs.ko | wc -l` -eq 0; then echo 1; fi)
 
@@ -258,4 +259,4 @@ test_add_libvirt_dom_LDADD = \
 endif
 
 check-valgrind:
-	$(MAKE) VG="$(top_builddir)/run @VG@" check
+	$(MAKE) VG="@VG@" check
diff --git a/tests/mount-local/Makefile.am b/tests/mount-local/Makefile.am
index eac2cc89b..b3c86cf06 100644
--- a/tests/mount-local/Makefile.am
+++ b/tests/mount-local/Makefile.am
@@ -21,7 +21,8 @@ if HAVE_FUSE
 
 TESTS = test-parallel-mount-local
 
-TESTS_ENVIRONMENT = $(top_builddir)/run --test $(VG)
+TESTS_ENVIRONMENT = $(top_builddir)/run --test
+LOG_COMPILER = $(VG)
 
 check_PROGRAMS = $(TESTS)
 
@@ -48,6 +49,6 @@ test_parallel_mount_local_LDADD = \
 	$(top_builddir)/gnulib/lib/libgnu.la
 
 check-valgrind:
-	$(MAKE) VG="$(top_builddir)/run @VG@" check
+	$(MAKE) VG="@VG@" check
 
 endif