diff --git a/unittest/python/CMakeLists.txt b/unittest/python/CMakeLists.txt
index 0d343582ef..7f9b5e71b2 100644
--- a/unittest/python/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/unittest/python/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -11,18 +11,13 @@ if(NOT BUILD_SHARED_LIBS)
   return()
 endif()
 
-if(CMAKE_SYSTEM_NAME STREQUAL "Windows")
-  message(STATUS "Skipping Tests for the LAMMPS Python Module: not yet ported to Windows")
-  return()
-endif()
-
 if(CMAKE_VERSION VERSION_LESS 3.12)
-  find_package(PythonInterp 3.5) # Deprecated since version 3.12
+  find_package(PythonInterp 3.6) # Deprecated since version 3.12
   if(PYTHONINTERP_FOUND)
     set(Python_EXECUTABLE ${PYTHON_EXECUTABLE})
   endif()
 else()
-  find_package(Python3 COMPONENTS Interpreter Development)
+  find_package(Python3 3.6 COMPONENTS Interpreter Development)
 endif()
 
 add_executable(test_python_package test_python_package.cpp)
@@ -34,24 +29,33 @@ if(Python3_Development_FOUND)
   target_link_libraries(test_python_package PRIVATE Python3::Python)
 endif()
 add_test(NAME PythonPackage COMMAND test_python_package)
-set_tests_properties(PythonPackage PROPERTIES ENVIRONMENT "LAMMPS_POTENTIALS=${LAMMPS_POTENTIALS_DIR};PYTHONPATH=${CMAKE_CURRENT_BINARY_DIR}:${LAMMPS_PYTHON_DIR}:$ENV{PYTHONPATH};PYTHONUNBUFFERED=1")
+
+# build list of environment variables for testing python functionality
+if(WIN32)
+  set(PYTHON_TEST_ENVIRONMENT PYTHONPATH=${LAMMPS_PYTHON_DIR})
+else()
+  set(PYTHON_TEST_ENVIRONMENT PYTHONPATH=${LAMMPS_PYTHON_DIR}:$ENV{PYTHONPATH})
+endif()
+get_property(BUILD_IS_MULTI_CONFIG GLOBAL PROPERTY GENERATOR_IS_MULTI_CONFIG)
+if(BUILD_IS_MULTI_CONFIG)
+  set(LAMMPS_LIB_PATH ${CMAKE_BINARY_DIR}/$<CONFIG>)
+else()
+  set(LAMMPS_LIB_PATH ${CMAKE_BINARY_DIR})
+endif()
+list(APPEND PYTHON_TEST_ENVIRONMENT "LAMMPS_POTENTIALS=${LAMMPS_POTENTIALS_DIR}")
+list(APPEND PYTHON_TEST_ENVIRONMENT "PYTHONUNBUFFERED=1")
+if(APPLE)
+  list(APPEND PYTHON_TEST_ENVIRONMENT "DYLD_LIBRARY_PATH=${LAMMPS_LIB_PATH}:$ENV{DYLD_LIBRARY_PATH}")
+elseif(WIN32)
+  list(APPEND PYTHON_TEST_ENVIRONMENT "LAMMPSDLLPATH=${LAMMPS_LIB_PATH}")
+else()
+  list(APPEND PYTHON_TEST_ENVIRONMENT "LD_LIBRARY_PATH=${LAMMPS_LIB_PATH}:$ENV{LD_LIBRARY_PATH}")
+endif()
+set_tests_properties(PythonPackage PROPERTIES ENVIRONMENT "${PYTHON_TEST_ENVIRONMENT}")
 
 if(Python_EXECUTABLE)
-  # prepare to augment the environment so that the LAMMPS python module and the shared library is found.
-  set(PYTHON_TEST_ENVIRONMENT PYTHONPATH=${LAMMPS_PYTHON_DIR}:$ENV{PYTHONPATH})
-  get_property(BUILD_IS_MULTI_CONFIG GLOBAL PROPERTY GENERATOR_IS_MULTI_CONFIG)
-  if(BUILD_IS_MULTI_CONFIG)
-    set(LAMMPS_LIB_PATH ${CMAKE_BINARY_DIR}/$<CONFIG>)
-  else()
-    set(LAMMPS_LIB_PATH ${CMAKE_BINARY_DIR})
-  endif()
-  list(APPEND PYTHON_TEST_ENVIRONMENT "LAMMPS_POTENTIALS=${LAMMPS_POTENTIALS_DIR}")
   list(APPEND PYTHON_TEST_ENVIRONMENT "TEST_INPUT_DIR=${CMAKE_CURRENT_SOURCE_DIR}")
-  if(APPLE)
-    list(APPEND PYTHON_TEST_ENVIRONMENT "DYLD_LIBRARY_PATH=${LAMMPS_LIB_PATH}:$ENV{DYLD_LIBRARY_PATH};LAMMPS_CMAKE_CACHE=${CMAKE_BINARY_DIR}/CMakeCache.txt")
-  else()
-    list(APPEND PYTHON_TEST_ENVIRONMENT "LD_LIBRARY_PATH=${LAMMPS_LIB_PATH}:$ENV{LD_LIBRARY_PATH};LAMMPS_CMAKE_CACHE=${CMAKE_BINARY_DIR}/CMakeCache.txt")
-  endif()
+  list(APPEND PYTHON_TEST_ENVIRONMENT "LAMMPS_CMAKE_CACHE=${CMAKE_BINARY_DIR}/CMakeCache.txt")
   if(LAMMPS_MACHINE)
     # convert from '_machine' to 'machine'
     string(SUBSTRING ${LAMMPS_MACHINE} 1 -1 LAMMPS_MACHINE_NAME)
@@ -94,10 +98,14 @@ if(Python_EXECUTABLE)
            WORKING_DIRECTORY ${EXECUTABLE_OUTPUT_PATH})
   set_tests_properties(PythonCapabilities PROPERTIES ENVIRONMENT "${PYTHON_TEST_ENVIRONMENT}")
 
+if(CMAKE_SYSTEM_NAME STREQUAL "Windows")
+  message(STATUS "Skipping Tests for PyLammps Module: not yet ported to Windows")
+else()
   add_test(NAME PythonPyLammps
            COMMAND ${PYTHON_TEST_RUNNER} ${CMAKE_CURRENT_SOURCE_DIR}/python-pylammps.py -v
            WORKING_DIRECTORY ${EXECUTABLE_OUTPUT_PATH})
   set_tests_properties(PythonPyLammps PROPERTIES ENVIRONMENT "${PYTHON_TEST_ENVIRONMENT}")
+endif()
 
   add_test(NAME PythonFormats
            COMMAND ${PYTHON_TEST_RUNNER} ${CMAKE_CURRENT_SOURCE_DIR}/python-formats.py -v
diff --git a/unittest/python/test_python_package.cpp b/unittest/python/test_python_package.cpp
index 07b9a29f28..82b4704e5f 100644
--- a/unittest/python/test_python_package.cpp
+++ b/unittest/python/test_python_package.cpp
@@ -89,7 +89,7 @@ TEST_F(PythonPackageTest, InvokeFunctionFromFile)
     auto output = CAPTURE_OUTPUT([&]() {
         command("python printnum invoke");
     });
-    ASSERT_THAT(output, HasSubstr("2.25\n"));
+    ASSERT_THAT(output, HasSubstr("2.25"));
 }
 
 #if defined(TEST_HAVE_PYTHON_DEVELOPMENT)
@@ -210,7 +210,7 @@ TEST_F(PythonPackageTest, InvokeOtherFunctionFromFile)
     auto output = CAPTURE_OUTPUT([&] {
         command("python printtxt invoke");
     });
-    ASSERT_THAT(output, HasSubstr("sometext\n"));
+    ASSERT_THAT(output, HasSubstr("sometext"));
 }
 
 TEST_F(PythonPackageTest, InvokeFunctionThatUsesLAMMPSModule)
@@ -224,7 +224,7 @@ TEST_F(PythonPackageTest, InvokeFunctionThatUsesLAMMPSModule)
     auto output = CAPTURE_OUTPUT([&] {
         command("python getidxvar invoke");
     });
-    ASSERT_THAT(output, HasSubstr("2.25\n"));
+    ASSERT_THAT(output, HasSubstr("2.25"));
 }
 
 TEST_F(PythonPackageTest, python_variable)
@@ -238,7 +238,7 @@ TEST_F(PythonPackageTest, python_variable)
     std::string output = CAPTURE_OUTPUT([&] {
         command("print \"${sq}\"");
     });
-    ASSERT_THAT(output, ContainsRegex("print.*2.25.*"));
+    ASSERT_THAT(output, ContainsRegex("print.*\n.*2.25.*"));
 }
 
 TEST_F(PythonPackageTest, InlineFunction)
@@ -309,7 +309,7 @@ TEST_F(FixPythonInvokeTest, end_of_step)
     auto output = CAPTURE_OUTPUT([&] {
         command("run 50");
     });
-
+    fprintf(stderr,"lines: %s\n",output.c_str());
     auto lines = utils::split_lines(output);
     int count  = 0;