diff --git a/tests/Makefile.localtest b/tests/Makefile.localtest
index a4e71f87..3ca565cb 100644
--- a/tests/Makefile.localtest
+++ b/tests/Makefile.localtest
@@ -9,6 +9,9 @@ CFLAGS=-O2 -g -Wall -D_GNU_SOURCE
 LDLIBS=-lcryptsetup -ldevmapper
 TESTS=$(wildcard *-test *-test2) api-test api-test-2 all-symbols-test \
 	blockwise-compat compat-test-args unit-utils-crypt-test
+TESTS_UTILS=differ unit-utils-io unit-wipe
+
+check-programs: $(TESTS_UTILS) $(TESTS)
 
 differ: differ.o
 	$(CC) -o $@ $^
@@ -37,7 +40,7 @@ all-symbols-test.o: test-symbols-list.h
 all-symbols-test: all-symbols-test.o
 	$(CC) -o $@ $^ -ldl
 
-tests: differ unit-utils-io unit-wipe $(TESTS)
+tests: $(TESTS_UTILS) $(TESTS)
 	@for test in $(sort $(TESTS)); do \
 		echo [$$test]; \
 		./$$test; \
@@ -46,8 +49,7 @@ tests: differ unit-utils-io unit-wipe $(TESTS)
 	done;
 
 clean:
-	rm -f *.o differ api-test api-test-2 \
-		unit-utils-io unit-wipe unit-utils-crypt-test \
+	rm -f *.o $(TESTS_UTILS) api-test api-test-2 unit-utils-crypt-test \
 		all-symbols-test test-symbols-list.h
 
 .PHONY: clean