diff --git a/tests/bats.mk b/tests/bats.mk
index 4a09e3af4..f5b601c01 100644
--- a/tests/bats.mk
+++ b/tests/bats.mk
@@ -34,8 +34,8 @@ ifdef TEST_COVERAGE
 else
   # the wrappers should work here too - it detects TEST_COVERAGE - but we allow
   # overriding the path to the binaries
-  CROWDSEC ?= "$(BIN_DIR)/crowdsec"
-  CSCLI ?= "$(BIN_DIR)/cscli"
+  CROWDSEC ?= $(BIN_DIR)/crowdsec
+  CSCLI ?= $(BIN_DIR)/cscli
   # any value is considered true
   BINCOVER_TESTING =
 endif
diff --git a/tests/bats/01_crowdsec.bats b/tests/bats/01_crowdsec.bats
index c9d5126a9..de974044e 100644
--- a/tests/bats/01_crowdsec.bats
+++ b/tests/bats/01_crowdsec.bats
@@ -54,3 +54,18 @@ declare stderr
     run -0 echo "${stderr}"
     assert_line --partial "You must run at least the API Server or crowdsec"
 }
+
+@test "crowdsec - print error on exit" {
+    # errors that cause program termination are printed to stderr, not only logs
+    yq e '.db_config.type="meh"' -i "${CONFIG_YAML}"
+    run -1 --separate-stderr "${BIN_DIR}/crowdsec"
+    refute_output
+    run -0 echo "${stderr}"
+    assert_output --partial "unable to create database client: unknown database type 'meh'"
+}
+
+@test "CS_LAPI_SECRET not strong enough" {
+    CS_LAPI_SECRET=foo run -1 --separate-stderr timeout 2s "${CROWDSEC}"
+    run -0 echo "${stderr}"
+    assert_output --partial "api server init: unable to run local API: controller init: CS_LAPI_SECRET not strong enough"
+}
diff --git a/tests/bats/06_crowdsec.bats b/tests/bats/06_crowdsec.bats
deleted file mode 100644
index d57d663f4..000000000
--- a/tests/bats/06_crowdsec.bats
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,41 +0,0 @@
-#!/usr/bin/env bats
-# vim: ft=bats:list:ts=8:sts=4:sw=4:et:ai:si:
-
-set -u
-
-setup_file() {
-    load "../lib/setup_file.sh"
-}
-
-teardown_file() {
-    load "../lib/teardown_file.sh"
-}
-
-setup() {
-    load "../lib/setup.sh"
-    ./instance-data load
-}
-
-teardown() {
-    ./instance-crowdsec stop
-}
-
-# to silence shellcheck
-declare stderr
-
-#----------
-
-@test "${FILE} crowdsec - print error on exit" {
-    # errors that cause program termination are printed to stderr, not only logs
-    yq e '.db_config.type="meh"' -i "${CONFIG_YAML}"
-    run -1 --separate-stderr "${BIN_DIR}/crowdsec"
-    refute_output
-    run -0 echo "${stderr}"
-    assert_output --partial "unable to create database client: unknown database type 'meh'"
-}
-
-@test "${FILE} CS_LAPI_SECRET not strong enough" {
-    CS_LAPI_SECRET=foo run -1 --separate-stderr timeout 2s "${CROWDSEC}"
-    run -0 echo "${stderr}"
-    assert_output --partial "api server init: unable to run local API: controller init: CS_LAPI_SECRET not strong enough"
-}
diff --git a/tests/bats/70_http_plugin.bats b/tests/bats/70_http_plugin.bats
index 45f156ad4..c1aca6267 100644
--- a/tests/bats/70_http_plugin.bats
+++ b/tests/bats/70_http_plugin.bats
@@ -14,6 +14,8 @@ setup_file() {
     MOCK_URL="http://localhost:${MOCK_PORT}"
     export MOCK_URL
     PLUGIN_DIR=$(config_yq '.config_paths.plugin_dir')
+    # could have a trailing slash
+    PLUGIN_DIR=$(realpath -s "${PLUGIN_DIR}")
     export PLUGIN_DIR
 
     # https://mikefarah.gitbook.io/yq/operators/env-variable-operators
@@ -41,8 +43,6 @@ setup_file() {
 
 teardown_file() {
     load "../lib/teardown_file.sh"
-    rm -f "${PLUGIN_DIR}"/badname
-    chmod go-w "${PLUGIN_DIR}"/notification-http
     ./instance-crowdsec stop
     ./instance-mock-http stop
 }
diff --git a/tests/bats/71_dummy_plugin.bats b/tests/bats/71_dummy_plugin.bats
index 4702dc438..abaad63f3 100644
--- a/tests/bats/71_dummy_plugin.bats
+++ b/tests/bats/71_dummy_plugin.bats
@@ -5,7 +5,7 @@ set -u
 
 setup_file() {
     load "../lib/setup_file.sh"
-    [ -n "${PACKAGE_TESTING}" ] && return
+    [[ -n "${PACKAGE_TESTING}" ]] && return
 
     ./instance-data load
 
@@ -48,17 +48,16 @@ setup_file() {
 
 teardown_file() {
     load "../lib/teardown_file.sh"
-    rm -f "${tempfile}" "${tempfile2}"
 }
 
 setup() {
-    [ -n "${PACKAGE_TESTING}" ] && skip
+    [[ -n "${PACKAGE_TESTING}" ]] && skip
     load "../lib/setup.sh"
 }
 
 #----------
 
-@test "${FILE} add two bans" {
+@test "add two bans" {
     run -0 cscli decisions add --ip 1.2.3.4 --duration 30s
     assert_output --partial 'Decision successfully added'
 
@@ -67,13 +66,13 @@ setup() {
     sleep 2
 }
 
-@test "${FILE} expected 1 notification" {
+@test "expected 1 notification" {
     run -0 cat "${tempfile}"
     assert_output --partial 1.2.3.4
     assert_output --partial 1.2.3.5
 }
 
-@test "${FILE} second notification works too" {
+@test "second notification works too" {
     run -0 cat "${tempfile2}"
     assert_output --partial secondfile
 }
diff --git a/tests/bats/72_plugin_badconfig.bats b/tests/bats/72_plugin_badconfig.bats
index eaccc79e9..04fc5637c 100644
--- a/tests/bats/72_plugin_badconfig.bats
+++ b/tests/bats/72_plugin_badconfig.bats
@@ -7,6 +7,8 @@ setup_file() {
     load "../lib/setup_file.sh"
 
     PLUGIN_DIR=$(config_yq '.config_paths.plugin_dir')
+    # could have a trailing slash
+    PLUGIN_DIR=$(realpath -s "${PLUGIN_DIR}")
     export PLUGIN_DIR
 
     PROFILES_PATH=$(config_yq '.api.server.profiles_path')
diff --git a/tests/lib/init/crowdsec-systemd b/tests/lib/init/crowdsec-systemd
index 041105f47..1037abd6d 100755
--- a/tests/lib/init/crowdsec-systemd
+++ b/tests/lib/init/crowdsec-systemd
@@ -33,8 +33,6 @@ fi
 start() {
     systemctl start crowdsec
     ./lib/util/wait-for-port 6060
-    sleep 30s
-    "${CSCLI}" decisions delete --all
 }
 
 stop() {
diff --git a/tests/lib/setup.sh b/tests/lib/setup.sh
index a12ee0b59..03d207d87 100755
--- a/tests/lib/setup.sh
+++ b/tests/lib/setup.sh
@@ -5,3 +5,7 @@
 load "../lib/bats-support/load.bash"
 load "../lib/bats-assert/load.bash"
 #load "../lib/bats-file/load.bash"
+
+# mark the start of each test in the logs, beware crowdsec might be running
+# echo "time=\"$(date +"%d-%m-%Y %H:%M:%S")\" level=info msg=\"TEST: ${BATS_TEST_DESCRIPTION}\"" >> /var/log/crowdsec.log
+