diff --git a/unittest/commands/CMakeLists.txt b/unittest/commands/CMakeLists.txt
index 0fb0c8088e..6c68bfb274 100644
--- a/unittest/commands/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/unittest/commands/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -3,17 +3,22 @@
 if(NOT ${CMAKE_SYSTEM_NAME} STREQUAL "Windows")
   ExternalProject_Add(plugins
                       SOURCE_DIR      "${LAMMPS_DIR}/examples/plugins"
-                      BINARY_DIR      "${CMAKE_BINARY_DIR}/plugins"
+                      BINARY_DIR      ${CMAKE_BINARY_DIR}/build-plugins
+                      INSTALL_DIR     ${CMAKE_BINARY_DIR}
                       CMAKE_ARGS      ${CMAKE_REQUEST_PIC}
                                       -DCMAKE_CXX_COMPILER=${CMAKE_CXX_COMPILER}
                                       -DCMAKE_INSTALL_PREFIX=<INSTALL_DIR>
                                       -DCMAKE_BUILD_TYPE=${CMAKE_BUILD_TYPE}
                                       -DCMAKE_MAKE_PROGRAM=${CMAKE_MAKE_PROGRAM}
                                       -DCMAKE_TOOLCHAIN_FILE=${CMAKE_TOOLCHAIN_FILE}
-                     BUILD_BYPRODUCTS <BINARY_DIR>/morse2plugin${CMAKE_STATIC_LIBRARY_SUFFIX}
-                                      <BINARY_DIR>/nve2plugin${CMAKE_STATIC_LIBRARY_SUFFIX}
-                                      <BINARY_DIR>/helloplugin${CMAKE_STATIC_LIBRARY_SUFFIX}
-                     INSTALL_COMMAND ""
+                     BUILD_BYPRODUCTS <BINARY_DIR>/morse2plugin${CMAKE_SHARED_LIBRARY_SUFFIX}
+                                      <BINARY_DIR>/nve2plugin${CMAKE_SHARED_LIBRARY_SUFFIX}
+                                      <BINARY_DIR>/helloplugin${CMAKE_SHARED_LIBRARY_SUFFIX}
+                     INSTALL_COMMAND ${CMAKE_COMMAND} -E copy_if_different
+                                      <BINARY_DIR>/morse2plugin${CMAKE_SHARED_LIBRARY_SUFFIX}
+                                      <BINARY_DIR>/nve2plugin${CMAKE_SHARED_LIBRARY_SUFFIX}
+                                      <BINARY_DIR>/helloplugin${CMAKE_SHARED_LIBRARY_SUFFIX}
+                                      ${CMAKE_CURRENT_BINARY_DIR}
                      TEST_COMMAND    "")
 endif()
 
diff --git a/unittest/commands/test_simple_commands.cpp b/unittest/commands/test_simple_commands.cpp
index 08fe53a6b9..0e26734dfb 100644
--- a/unittest/commands/test_simple_commands.cpp
+++ b/unittest/commands/test_simple_commands.cpp
@@ -347,9 +347,9 @@ TEST_F(SimpleCommandsTest, Units)
 TEST_F(SimpleCommandsTest, Plugin)
 {
 #if defined(__APPLE__)
-    std::string loadfmt("plugin load plugins/{}plugin.dylib");
+    std::string loadfmt("plugin load {}plugin.dylib");
 #else
-    std::string loadfmt("plugin load plugins/{}plugin.so");
+    std::string loadfmt("plugin load {}plugin.so");
 #endif
     ::testing::internal::CaptureStdout();
     lmp->input->one(fmt::format(loadfmt, "hello"));
@@ -361,7 +361,7 @@ TEST_F(SimpleCommandsTest, Plugin)
     lmp->input->one(fmt::format(loadfmt, "xxx"));
     text = ::testing::internal::GetCapturedStdout();
     if (verbose) std::cout << text;
-    ASSERT_THAT(text, MatchesRegex(".*Open of file plugins/xxx.* failed.*"));
+    ASSERT_THAT(text, MatchesRegex(".*Open of file xxx.* failed.*"));
 
     ::testing::internal::CaptureStdout();
     lmp->input->one(fmt::format(loadfmt, "nve2"));