diff --git a/unittest/force-styles/test_main.cpp b/unittest/force-styles/test_main.cpp
index afdd650024..93ad141ce3 100644
--- a/unittest/force-styles/test_main.cpp
+++ b/unittest/force-styles/test_main.cpp
@@ -55,6 +55,11 @@ bool print_stats = false;
 // whether to print verbose output (i.e. not capturing LAMMPS screen output).
 bool verbose = false;
 
+// location for 'in.*' and 'data.*' files required by tests
+#define STRINGIFY(val) XSTR(val)
+#define XSTR(val) #val
+std::string INPUT_FOLDER = STRINGIFY(TEST_INPUT_FOLDER);
+
 int main(int argc, char **argv)
 {
     MPI_Init(&argc, &argv);
diff --git a/unittest/force-styles/test_main.h b/unittest/force-styles/test_main.h
index 9002e3584f..03ab9fc6f9 100644
--- a/unittest/force-styles/test_main.h
+++ b/unittest/force-styles/test_main.h
@@ -20,6 +20,7 @@
 extern TestConfig test_config;
 extern bool print_stats;
 extern bool verbose;
+extern std::string INPUT_FOLDER;
 
 #define EXPECT_FP_LE_WITH_EPS(val1,val2,eps)                \
     do {                                                    \
@@ -32,12 +33,6 @@ extern bool verbose;
 
 #endif
 
-#define STRINGIFY(val) XSTR(val)
-#define XSTR(val) #val
-static const std::string INPUT_FOLDER = STRINGIFY(TEST_INPUT_FOLDER);
-#undef STRINGIFY
-#undef XSTR
-
 #if defined _WIN32
 static const char PATH_SEP = '\\';
 #else