diff --git a/Makefile.include b/Makefile.include
index 1a7607ad5b..befb9d8647 100644
--- a/Makefile.include
+++ b/Makefile.include
@@ -630,6 +630,13 @@ term: $(filter flash flash-only, $(MAKECMDGOALS)) $(TERMDEPS)
 	$(call check_cmd,$(TERMPROG),Terminal program)
 	$(TERMPROG) $(TERMFLAGS)
 
+# Term without the pyterm added logging
+# TERMFLAGS must be exported for `jlink.sh term_rtt`.
+cleanterm: export PYTERMFLAGS += --noprefix --no-repeat-command-on-empty-line
+cleanterm: $(filter flash, $(MAKECMDGOALS)) $(TERMDEPS)
+	$(call check_cmd,$(TERMPROG),Terminal program)
+	$(TERMPROG) $(TERMFLAGS)
+
 list-ttys:
 	$(Q)$(RIOTTOOLS)/usb-serial/list-ttys.sh
 
diff --git a/dist/pythonlibs/testrunner/spawn.py b/dist/pythonlibs/testrunner/spawn.py
index 84164d1a1d..34859b1f61 100644
--- a/dist/pythonlibs/testrunner/spawn.py
+++ b/dist/pythonlibs/testrunner/spawn.py
@@ -36,7 +36,7 @@ def find_exc_origin(exc_info):
 
 
 def setup_child(timeout=10, spawnclass=pexpect.spawnu, env=None, logfile=None):
-    child = spawnclass("make term", env=env, timeout=timeout,
+    child = spawnclass("make cleanterm", env=env, timeout=timeout,
                        codec_errors='replace', echo=False)
 
     # on many platforms, the termprog needs a short while to be ready...
diff --git a/dist/tools/jlink/jlink.sh b/dist/tools/jlink/jlink.sh
index 8783f529af..03edba36e3 100755
--- a/dist/tools/jlink/jlink.sh
+++ b/dist/tools/jlink/jlink.sh
@@ -68,7 +68,7 @@ _JLINK_IF=SWD
 _JLINK_SPEED=2000
 # default terminal frontend
 _JLINK_TERMPROG=${RIOTTOOLS}/pyterm/pyterm
-_JLINK_TERMFLAGS="-ts 19021"
+_JLINK_TERMFLAGS="-ts 19021 ${PYTERMFLAGS}"
 
 #
 # a couple of tests for certain configuration options
diff --git a/tests/README.md b/tests/README.md
index e0e3b1f5f9..62d6644485 100644
--- a/tests/README.md
+++ b/tests/README.md
@@ -27,3 +27,18 @@ An automated way of knowing if a test is available is to execute the
 It executes without error if tests run by 'make test' are present.
 
     make test/available
+
+
+Interaction through the uart
+----------------------------
+
+Tests implemented with `testrunner` use the `cleanterm` target that
+provides an interaction without adding extra text output or input handling.
+It can currently be expected to have unmodified line based interaction with the
+board.
+
+The expected behavior is verified with the test in `tests/test_tools`.
+
+Tests cannot rely on having on all boards and terminal programs:
+* unbuffered input
+* allowing sending special characters like `ctrl+c/ctrl+d`
diff --git a/tests/test_tools/main.c b/tests/test_tools/main.c
index cb3927f243..1051930c1b 100644
--- a/tests/test_tools/main.c
+++ b/tests/test_tools/main.c
@@ -15,6 +15,8 @@
  */
 
 #include <stdio.h>
+#include <string.h>
+#include <ctype.h>
 
 #include "shell_commands.h"
 #include "shell.h"
@@ -64,10 +66,62 @@ static int cmd_shellping(int argc, char **argv)
     return 0;
 }
 
+/**
+ * @brief Uppercase the first word
+ *
+ * First argument is read, converted to uppercase and printed with a newline.
+ *
+ * @param[in] argc  Number of arguments
+ * @param[in] argv  Array of arguments
+ *
+ * @return  0 on success
+ *
+ */
+static int cmd_toupper(int argc, char **argv)
+{
+    if (argc != 2) {
+        puts("Invalid number of argument");
+        printf("Usage: %s <word>\n", argv[0]);
+        return 1;
+    }
+
+    size_t len = strlen(argv[1]);
+    for (size_t i = 0; i < len; i++) {
+        /* Cast to 'int' as llvm and some compilers complain about
+         *     array subscript has type 'char' */
+        char c = toupper((int)argv[1][i]);
+        putchar(c);
+    }
+    putchar('\n');
+
+    return 0;
+}
+
+/**
+ * @brief getchar, read one character
+ *
+ * Read one character and print its hex value
+ *
+ * @param[in] argc  Number of arguments
+ * @param[in] argv  Array of arguments
+ *
+ * @return  0
+ *
+ */
+static int cmd_getchar(int argc, char **argv)
+{
+    (void)argc;
+    (void)argv;
+    printf("%s 0x%02x\n", argv[0], getchar());
+    return 0;
+}
+
 
 static const shell_command_t shell_commands[] = {
     { "shellping", "Just print 'shellpong'", cmd_shellping },
     { "true", "do nothing, successfully", cmd_true },
+    { "toupper", "uppercase first argument", cmd_toupper },
+    { "getchar", "Get one character and print the hex value", cmd_getchar },
     { NULL, NULL, NULL }
 };
 
diff --git a/tests/test_tools/tests/01-run.py b/tests/test_tools/tests/01-run.py
index ced29379ed..ca278074a8 100755
--- a/tests/test_tools/tests/01-run.py
+++ b/tests/test_tools/tests/01-run.py
@@ -38,12 +38,31 @@ def _test_no_local_echo(child):
     assert res == 0, "There should have been a timeout and not match stdin"
 
 
+def _test_sending_newline(child):
+    """Verify that a empty line can be send to the node.
+
+    The local terminal must NOT repeat the previous command.
+    """
+    child.sendline('getchar')
+    child.sendline('')  # send only one newline character
+    child.expect_exact('getchar 0x0a\r\n')
+
+
+def _test_clean_output(child):
+    """Verify that only what the node sends is received."""
+    child.sendline('toupper lowercase')
+    retline = child.readline()
+    assert retline.strip() == 'LOWERCASE'
+
+
 def testfunc(child):
     """Run some tests to verify the board under test behaves correctly.
 
     It currently tests:
 
     * local echo
+    * getting some test output without other messages
+    * sending empty lines
     """
     child.expect_exact("Running 'tests_tools' application")
 
@@ -55,6 +74,12 @@ def testfunc(child):
     # The node should still answer after the previous one
     _shellping(child)
 
+    # Check that the output is clean without extra terminal output
+    _test_clean_output(child)
+
+    # It is possible to send an empty newline
+    _test_sending_newline(child)
+
 
 if __name__ == "__main__":
     sys.exit(run(testfunc))