diff --git a/unittest/CMakeLists.txt b/unittest/CMakeLists.txt
index 6c2165fe4..0fc88bf8a 100644
--- a/unittest/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/unittest/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -55,8 +55,11 @@ function(config_test test tagname opttype)
   configure_file(python/test_${test}.py.in
                  ${CMAKE_CURRENT_BINARY_DIR}/python/${py_file})
   add_lib_unit_test(${MODNAME})
-  add_python_unit_test("py-${test}-${tagname}" "unittest/python/${py_file}"
-                       "unittest")
+  set(PYTHON_TEST_NAME "py-${test}-${tagname}")
+  add_test(NAME ${PYTHON_TEST_NAME}
+           COMMAND ${PYTHON_EXECUTABLE} "${CMAKE_CURRENT_BINARY_DIR}/python/${py_file}")
+  compute_pythonpath(ENV_VARIABLES "unittest")
+  set_tests_properties(${PYTHON_TEST_NAME} PROPERTIES ENVIRONMENT "${ENV_VARIABLES}")
 endfunction()
 
 config_test(variant boost "boost::variant")
diff --git a/unittest/python/test_optional_boost.py b/unittest/python/test_optional_boost.py
deleted file mode 100644
index fc818739d..000000000
--- a/unittest/python/test_optional_boost.py
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,67 +0,0 @@
-import importlib
-
-bind_optional = importlib.import_module("bind_optional_boost")
-
-
-def test_none_if_zero():
-    x = bind_optional.none_if_zero(0)
-    y = bind_optional.none_if_zero(-1)
-    assert x is None
-    assert y == -1
-
-
-def test_struct_ctors():
-    # test struct ctors
-
-    struct = bind_optional.mystruct()
-    assert struct.a is None
-    assert struct.b is None
-    assert struct.msg == "i am struct"
-
-    ## no 2nd arg automatic overload using bp::optional
-    struct = bind_optional.mystruct(2)
-    assert struct.a == 2
-    assert struct.b is None
-
-    struct = bind_optional.mystruct(13, -1.0)
-    assert struct.a == 13
-    assert struct.b == -1.0
-
-
-def test_struct_setters():
-    struct = bind_optional.mystruct()
-    struct.a = 1
-    assert struct.a == 1
-
-    struct.b = -3.14
-    assert struct.b == -3.14
-
-    # set to None
-    struct.a = None
-    struct.b = None
-    struct.msg = None
-    assert struct.a is None
-    assert struct.b is None
-    assert struct.msg is None
-
-
-def test_factory():
-    struct = bind_optional.create_if_true(False, None)
-    assert struct is None
-    struct = bind_optional.create_if_true(True, None)
-    assert struct.a == 0
-    assert struct.b is None
-
-
-def test_random_mat():
-    M = bind_optional.random_mat_if_true(False)
-    assert M is None
-    M = bind_optional.random_mat_if_true(True)
-    assert M.shape == (4, 4)
-
-
-test_none_if_zero()
-test_struct_ctors()
-test_struct_setters()
-test_factory()
-test_random_mat()
diff --git a/unittest/python/test_optional_std.py b/unittest/python/test_optional_std.py
deleted file mode 100644
index 69949a44f..000000000
--- a/unittest/python/test_optional_std.py
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,67 +0,0 @@
-import importlib
-
-bind_optional = importlib.import_module("bind_optional_std")
-
-
-def test_none_if_zero():
-    x = bind_optional.none_if_zero(0)
-    y = bind_optional.none_if_zero(-1)
-    assert x is None
-    assert y == -1
-
-
-def test_struct_ctors():
-    # test struct ctors
-
-    struct = bind_optional.mystruct()
-    assert struct.a is None
-    assert struct.b is None
-    assert struct.msg == "i am struct"
-
-    ## no 2nd arg automatic overload using bp::optional
-    struct = bind_optional.mystruct(2)
-    assert struct.a == 2
-    assert struct.b is None
-
-    struct = bind_optional.mystruct(13, -1.0)
-    assert struct.a == 13
-    assert struct.b == -1.0
-
-
-def test_struct_setters():
-    struct = bind_optional.mystruct()
-    struct.a = 1
-    assert struct.a == 1
-
-    struct.b = -3.14
-    assert struct.b == -3.14
-
-    # set to None
-    struct.a = None
-    struct.b = None
-    struct.msg = None
-    assert struct.a is None
-    assert struct.b is None
-    assert struct.msg is None
-
-
-def test_factory():
-    struct = bind_optional.create_if_true(False, None)
-    assert struct is None
-    struct = bind_optional.create_if_true(True, None)
-    assert struct.a == 0
-    assert struct.b is None
-
-
-def test_random_mat():
-    M = bind_optional.random_mat_if_true(False)
-    assert M is None
-    M = bind_optional.random_mat_if_true(True)
-    assert M.shape == (4, 4)
-
-
-test_none_if_zero()
-test_struct_ctors()
-test_struct_setters()
-test_factory()
-test_random_mat()