diff --git a/dist/pythonlibs/testrunner/spawn.py b/dist/pythonlibs/testrunner/spawn.py
index 502bb63b6e..8b6c05144c 100644
--- a/dist/pythonlibs/testrunner/spawn.py
+++ b/dist/pythonlibs/testrunner/spawn.py
@@ -43,6 +43,7 @@ TESTRUNNER_RESET_AFTER_TERM = int(os.environ.get('TESTRUNNER_RESET_AFTER_TERM')
 
 MAKE = os.environ.get('MAKE', 'make')
 
+
 def _reset_board(env):
     if MAKE_RESET_DELAY > 0:
         time.sleep(MAKE_RESET_DELAY)
diff --git a/tests/lwip/tests/01-run.py b/tests/lwip/tests/01-run.py
index cb180faccc..68770891e1 100755
--- a/tests/lwip/tests/01-run.py
+++ b/tests/lwip/tests/01-run.py
@@ -18,6 +18,8 @@ import socket
 
 DEFAULT_TIMEOUT = 5
 
+MAKE = os.environ.get('MAKE', 'make')
+
 
 class Strategy(object):
     def __init__(self, func=None):
@@ -47,7 +49,7 @@ class BoardStrategy(Strategy):
         if env is not None:
             env.update(env)
         env.update(self.board.to_env())
-        cmd = ("make", "-C", application) + make_targets
+        cmd = (MAKE, "-C", application) + make_targets
         print(' '.join(cmd))
         print(subprocess.check_output(cmd, env=env))
 
@@ -165,7 +167,7 @@ def default_test_case(board_group, application, env=None):
         if env is not None:
             env.update(env)
         env.update(board.to_env())
-        with pexpect.spawnu("make", ["-C", application, "term"], env=env,
+        with pexpect.spawnu(MAKE, ["-C", application, "term"], env=env,
                             timeout=DEFAULT_TIMEOUT,
                             logfile=sys.stdout) as spawn:
             spawn.expect("TEST: SUCCESS")
@@ -201,9 +203,9 @@ def test_ipv6_send(board_group, application, env=None):
     if env is not None:
         env_receiver.update(env)
     env_receiver.update(board_group.boards[1].to_env())
-    with pexpect.spawnu("make", ["-C", application, "term"], env=env_sender,
+    with pexpect.spawnu(MAKE, ["-C", application, "term"], env=env_sender,
                         timeout=DEFAULT_TIMEOUT) as sender, \
-        pexpect.spawnu("make", ["-C", application, "term"], env=env_receiver,
+        pexpect.spawnu(MAKE, ["-C", application, "term"], env=env_receiver,
                        timeout=DEFAULT_TIMEOUT) as receiver:
         ipprot = random.randint(0x00, 0xff)
         receiver_ip = get_ipv6_address(receiver)
@@ -225,9 +227,9 @@ def test_udpv6_send(board_group, application, env=None):
     if env is not None:
         env_receiver.update(env)
     env_receiver.update(board_group.boards[1].to_env())
-    with pexpect.spawnu("make", ["-C", application, "term"], env=env_sender,
+    with pexpect.spawnu(MAKE, ["-C", application, "term"], env=env_sender,
                         timeout=DEFAULT_TIMEOUT) as sender, \
-        pexpect.spawnu("make", ["-C", application, "term"], env=env_receiver,
+        pexpect.spawnu(MAKE, ["-C", application, "term"], env=env_receiver,
                        timeout=DEFAULT_TIMEOUT) as receiver:
         port = random.randint(0x0000, 0xffff)
         receiver_ip = get_ipv6_address(receiver)
@@ -250,9 +252,9 @@ def test_tcpv6_send(board_group, application, env=None):
     if env is not None:
         env_server.update(env)
     env_server.update(board_group.boards[1].to_env())
-    with pexpect.spawnu("make", ["-C", application, "term"], env=env_client,
+    with pexpect.spawnu(MAKE, ["-C", application, "term"], env=env_client,
                         timeout=DEFAULT_TIMEOUT) as client, \
-        pexpect.spawnu("make", ["-C", application, "term"], env=env_server,
+        pexpect.spawnu(MAKE, ["-C", application, "term"], env=env_server,
                        timeout=DEFAULT_TIMEOUT) as server:
         port = random.randint(0x0000, 0xffff)
         server_ip = get_ipv6_address(server)
@@ -284,9 +286,9 @@ def test_tcpv6_multiconnect(board_group, application, env=None):
     if env is not None:
         env_server.update(env)
     env_server.update(board_group.boards[1].to_env())
-    with pexpect.spawnu("make", ["-C", application, "term"], env=env_client,
+    with pexpect.spawnu(MAKE, ["-C", application, "term"], env=env_client,
                         timeout=DEFAULT_TIMEOUT) as client, \
-        pexpect.spawnu("make", ["-C", application, "term"], env=env_server,
+        pexpect.spawnu(MAKE, ["-C", application, "term"], env=env_server,
                        timeout=DEFAULT_TIMEOUT) as server:
         port = random.randint(0x0000, 0xffff)
         server_ip = get_ipv6_address(server)
@@ -327,9 +329,9 @@ def test_triple_send(board_group, application, env=None):
     if env is not None:
         env_receiver.update(env)
     env_receiver.update(board_group.boards[1].to_env())
-    with pexpect.spawnu("make", ["-C", application, "term"], env=env_sender,
+    with pexpect.spawnu(MAKE, ["-C", application, "term"], env=env_sender,
                         timeout=DEFAULT_TIMEOUT) as sender, \
-        pexpect.spawnu("make", ["-C", application, "term"], env=env_receiver,
+        pexpect.spawnu(MAKE, ["-C", application, "term"], env=env_receiver,
                        timeout=DEFAULT_TIMEOUT) as receiver:
         udp_port = random.randint(0x0000, 0xffff)
         tcp_port = random.randint(0x0000, 0xffff)
diff --git a/tests/riotboot/tests/01-run.py b/tests/riotboot/tests/01-run.py
index db9bf8fd7d..35b94c4596 100755
--- a/tests/riotboot/tests/01-run.py
+++ b/tests/riotboot/tests/01-run.py
@@ -10,11 +10,12 @@
 import sys
 import subprocess
 from testrunner import run
+from testrunner.spawn import MAKE
 
 
 def flash_slot(slotnum, version):
     cmd = [
-        "make",
+        MAKE,
         "RIOTBOOT_SKIP_COMPILE=1",
         "riotboot/flash-slot{}".format(slotnum),
         "APP_VER={}".format(version),
diff --git a/tests/warn_conflict/tests/01-make.py b/tests/warn_conflict/tests/01-make.py
index a82a2b2614..7d869bd86e 100755
--- a/tests/warn_conflict/tests/01-make.py
+++ b/tests/warn_conflict/tests/01-make.py
@@ -7,6 +7,7 @@ from traceback import print_tb
 import pexpect
 
 BOARD = os.getenv('BOARD', 'stm32f4discovery')
+MAKE = os.environ.get('MAKE', 'make')
 
 
 def testfunc():
@@ -20,7 +21,7 @@ def testfunc():
         if exc.errno == os.errno.ENOENT:
             print("ABORTING TEST: {} seems to be missing.\n".format(cross_gcc))
     else:
-        child = pexpect.spawnu(['make'], env=os.environ)
+        child = pexpect.spawnu([MAKE], env=os.environ)
         child.logfile = sys.stdout
 
         try: