diff --git a/unittest/commands/test_simple_commands.cpp b/unittest/commands/test_simple_commands.cpp
index 1f5d4b5493..d425bb1555 100644
--- a/unittest/commands/test_simple_commands.cpp
+++ b/unittest/commands/test_simple_commands.cpp
@@ -26,6 +26,8 @@
 // whether to print verbose output (i.e. not capturing LAMMPS screen output).
 bool verbose = false;
 
+using LAMMPS_NS::utils::split_words;
+
 namespace LAMMPS_NS {
 using ::testing::Eq;
 
@@ -127,6 +129,17 @@ int main(int argc, char **argv)
 {
     MPI_Init(&argc, &argv);
     ::testing::InitGoogleMock(&argc, argv);
+
+    // handle arguments passed via environment variable
+    if (const char *var = getenv("TEST_ARGS")) {
+        std::vector<std::string> env = split_words(var);
+        for (auto arg : env) {
+            if (arg == "-v") {
+                verbose = true;
+            }
+        }
+    }
+
     if ((argc > 1) && (strcmp(argv[1], "-v") == 0)) verbose = true;
 
     int rv = RUN_ALL_TESTS();
diff --git a/unittest/force-styles/test_main.cpp b/unittest/force-styles/test_main.cpp
index 62ddc2c32e..3e991b26ad 100644
--- a/unittest/force-styles/test_main.cpp
+++ b/unittest/force-styles/test_main.cpp
@@ -82,15 +82,17 @@ int main(int argc, char **argv)
     }
 
     // handle arguments passed via environment variable
-    std::vector<std::string> env = split_words(getenv("TEST_ARGS"));
-    for (auto arg : env) {
-        if (arg == "-u") {
-            generate_yaml_file(argv[1], test_config);
-            return 0;
-        } else if (arg == "-s") {
-            print_stats = true;
-        } else if (arg == "-v") {
-            verbose = true;
+    if (const char *var = getenv("TEST_ARGS")) {
+        std::vector<std::string> env = split_words(var);
+        for (auto arg : env) {
+            if (arg == "-u") {
+                generate_yaml_file(argv[1], test_config);
+                return 0;
+            } else if (arg == "-s") {
+                print_stats = true;
+            } else if (arg == "-v") {
+                verbose = true;
+            }
         }
     }
 
diff --git a/unittest/formats/test_atom_styles.cpp b/unittest/formats/test_atom_styles.cpp
index b7feedc728..a405a240aa 100644
--- a/unittest/formats/test_atom_styles.cpp
+++ b/unittest/formats/test_atom_styles.cpp
@@ -38,6 +38,8 @@
 
 #define GETIDX(i) lmp->atom->map(i)
 
+using LAMMPS_NS::utils::split_words;
+
 // whether to print verbose output (i.e. not capturing LAMMPS screen output).
 bool verbose = false;
 
@@ -1167,6 +1169,16 @@ int main(int argc, char **argv)
 {
     MPI_Init(&argc, &argv);
     ::testing::InitGoogleMock(&argc, argv);
+
+    // handle arguments passed via environment variable
+    if (const char *var = getenv("TEST_ARGS")) {
+        std::vector<std::string> env = split_words(var);
+        for (auto arg : env) {
+            if (arg == "-v") {
+                verbose = true;
+            }
+        }
+    }
     if ((argc > 1) && (strcmp(argv[1], "-v") == 0)) verbose = true;
 
     int rv = RUN_ALL_TESTS();
diff --git a/unittest/formats/test_eim_potential_file_reader.cpp b/unittest/formats/test_eim_potential_file_reader.cpp
index bf0d9ba8dd..2c192bbd06 100644
--- a/unittest/formats/test_eim_potential_file_reader.cpp
+++ b/unittest/formats/test_eim_potential_file_reader.cpp
@@ -23,6 +23,7 @@
 #include <mpi.h>
 
 using namespace LAMMPS_NS;
+using utils::split_words;
 
 // whether to print verbose output (i.e. not capturing LAMMPS screen output).
 bool verbose = false;
@@ -208,6 +209,17 @@ int main(int argc, char **argv)
 {
     MPI_Init(&argc, &argv);
     ::testing::InitGoogleMock(&argc, argv);
+
+    // handle arguments passed via environment variable
+    if (const char *var = getenv("TEST_ARGS")) {
+        std::vector<std::string> env = split_words(var);
+        for (auto arg : env) {
+            if (arg == "-v") {
+                verbose = true;
+            }
+        }
+    }
+
     if ((argc > 1) && (strcmp(argv[1], "-v") == 0)) verbose = true;
 
     int rv = RUN_ALL_TESTS();
diff --git a/unittest/formats/test_potential_file_reader.cpp b/unittest/formats/test_potential_file_reader.cpp
index d168ca22c0..54dc26e4dc 100644
--- a/unittest/formats/test_potential_file_reader.cpp
+++ b/unittest/formats/test_potential_file_reader.cpp
@@ -34,6 +34,7 @@
 #include <mpi.h>
 
 using namespace LAMMPS_NS;
+using utils::split_words;
 
 // whether to print verbose output (i.e. not capturing LAMMPS screen output).
 bool verbose = false;
@@ -198,6 +199,16 @@ int main(int argc, char **argv)
 {
     MPI_Init(&argc, &argv);
     ::testing::InitGoogleMock(&argc, argv);
+
+    // handle arguments passed via environment variable
+    if (const char *var = getenv("TEST_ARGS")) {
+        std::vector<std::string> env = split_words(var);
+        for (auto arg : env) {
+            if (arg == "-v") {
+                verbose = true;
+            }
+        }
+    }
     if ((argc > 1) && (strcmp(argv[1], "-v") == 0)) verbose = true;
 
     int rv = RUN_ALL_TESTS();