diff --git a/unittest/python/test_python_package.cpp b/unittest/python/test_python_package.cpp
index 723271c589..137278a9d2 100644
--- a/unittest/python/test_python_package.cpp
+++ b/unittest/python/test_python_package.cpp
@@ -20,6 +20,7 @@
 #include <cmath>
 #include <cstring>
 #include <vector>
+#include <functional>
 
 // location of '*.py' files required by tests
 #define STRINGIFY(val) XSTR(val)
@@ -43,86 +44,107 @@ protected:
 
     void command(const std::string &line) { lmp->input->one(line.c_str()); }
 
+    void HIDE_OUTPUT(std::function<void()> f) {
+        if (!verbose) ::testing::internal::CaptureStdout();
+        f();
+        if (!verbose) ::testing::internal::GetCapturedStdout();
+    }
+
+    std::string CAPTURE_OUTPUT(std::function<void()> f) {
+        ::testing::internal::CaptureStdout();
+        f();
+        auto output = ::testing::internal::GetCapturedStdout();
+        if (verbose) std::cout << output;
+        return output;
+    }
+
     void SetUp() override
     {
         const char *args[] = {"PythonPackageTest", "-log", "none", "-echo", "screen", "-nocite"};
         char **argv        = (char **)args;
         int argc           = sizeof(args) / sizeof(char *);
-        if (!verbose) ::testing::internal::CaptureStdout();
-        lmp = new LAMMPS(argc, argv, MPI_COMM_WORLD);
-        if (!verbose) ::testing::internal::GetCapturedStdout();
+        HIDE_OUTPUT([&] {
+            lmp = new LAMMPS(argc, argv, MPI_COMM_WORLD);
+        });
         ASSERT_NE(lmp, nullptr);
         info = new Info(lmp);
-        if (!verbose) ::testing::internal::CaptureStdout();
-        command("units real");
-        command("dimension 3");
-        command("region box block -4 4 -4 4 -4 4");
-        command("create_box 1 box");
-        command("create_atoms 1 single  0.0  0.0 0.0    units box");
-        command("create_atoms 1 single  1.9 -1.9 1.9999 units box");
-        command("pair_style zero 2.0");
-        command("pair_coeff * *");
-        command("mass * 1.0");
-        command("variable input_dir index " + INPUT_FOLDER);
-        if (!verbose) ::testing::internal::GetCapturedStdout();
+        if (!info->has_package("PYTHON")) GTEST_SKIP();
+        HIDE_OUTPUT([&] {
+            command("units real");
+            command("dimension 3");
+            command("region box block -4 4 -4 4 -4 4");
+            command("create_box 1 box");
+            command("create_atoms 1 single  0.0  0.0 0.0    units box");
+            command("create_atoms 1 single  1.9 -1.9 1.9999 units box");
+            command("pair_style zero 2.0");
+            command("pair_coeff * *");
+            command("mass * 1.0");
+            command("variable input_dir index " + INPUT_FOLDER);
+        });
     }
 
     void TearDown() override
     {
-        if (!verbose) ::testing::internal::CaptureStdout();
-        delete info;
-        delete lmp;
-        if (!verbose) ::testing::internal::GetCapturedStdout();
+        HIDE_OUTPUT([&] {
+            delete info;
+            delete lmp;
+            info = nullptr;
+            lmp = nullptr;
+        });
     }
 };
 
-TEST_F(PythonPackageTest, python_invoke)
+TEST_F(PythonPackageTest, InvokeFunctionFromFile)
 {
-    if (!info->has_package("PYTHON")) GTEST_SKIP();
     // execute python function from file
-    if (!verbose) ::testing::internal::CaptureStdout();
-    command("python printnum file ${input_dir}/func.py");
-    if (!verbose) ::testing::internal::GetCapturedStdout();
-    ::testing::internal::CaptureStdout();
-    command("python printnum invoke");
-    std::string output = ::testing::internal::GetCapturedStdout();
-    if (verbose) std::cout << output;
+    HIDE_OUTPUT([&] {
+        command("python printnum file ${input_dir}/func.py");
+    });
+    
+    auto output = CAPTURE_OUTPUT([&]() {
+        command("python printnum invoke");
+    });
     ASSERT_THAT(output, HasSubstr("2.25\n"));
+}
 
+TEST_F(PythonPackageTest, InvokeOtherFunctionFromFile)
+{
     // execute another python function from same file
-    if (!verbose) ::testing::internal::CaptureStdout();
-    command("python printtxt exists");
-    if (!verbose) ::testing::internal::GetCapturedStdout();
-    ::testing::internal::CaptureStdout();
-    command("python printtxt invoke");
-    output = ::testing::internal::GetCapturedStdout();
-    if (verbose) std::cout << output;
-    ASSERT_THAT(output, HasSubstr("sometext\n"));
+    HIDE_OUTPUT([&] {
+        command("python printnum file ${input_dir}/func.py");
+        command("python printtxt exists");
+    });
 
+    auto output = CAPTURE_OUTPUT([&] {
+        command("python printtxt invoke");
+    });
+    ASSERT_THAT(output, HasSubstr("sometext\n"));
+}
+
+TEST_F(PythonPackageTest, InvokeFunctionThatUsesLAMMPSModule)
+{
     // execute python function that uses the LAMMPS python module
-    if (!verbose) ::testing::internal::CaptureStdout();
-    command("variable idx equal 2.25");
-    command("python getidxvar input 1 SELF format p exists");
-    if (!verbose) ::testing::internal::GetCapturedStdout();
-    ::testing::internal::CaptureStdout();
-    command("python getidxvar invoke");
-    output = ::testing::internal::GetCapturedStdout();
-    if (verbose) std::cout << output;
+    HIDE_OUTPUT([&] {
+        command("python printnum file ${input_dir}/func.py");
+        command("variable idx equal 2.25");
+        command("python getidxvar input 1 SELF format p exists");
+    });
+    auto output = CAPTURE_OUTPUT([&] {
+        command("python getidxvar invoke");
+    });
     ASSERT_THAT(output, HasSubstr("2.25\n"));
 }
 
 TEST_F(PythonPackageTest, python_variable)
 {
-    if (!info->has_package("PYTHON")) GTEST_SKIP();
-    if (!verbose) ::testing::internal::CaptureStdout();
-    command("variable sq python square");
-    command("variable val index 1.5");
-    command("python square input 1 v_val return v_sq format ff file ${input_dir}/func.py");
-    if (!verbose) ::testing::internal::GetCapturedStdout();
-    ::testing::internal::CaptureStdout();
-    command("print \"${sq}\"");
-    std::string output = ::testing::internal::GetCapturedStdout();
-    if (verbose) std::cout << output;
+    HIDE_OUTPUT([&] {
+        command("variable sq python square");
+        command("variable val index 1.5");
+        command("python square input 1 v_val return v_sq format ff file ${input_dir}/func.py");
+    });
+    std::string output = CAPTURE_OUTPUT([&] {
+        command("print \"${sq}\"");
+    });
     ASSERT_THAT(output, MatchesRegex("print.*2.25.*"));
 }