diff --git a/.ci/test.sh b/.ci/test.sh
index 5bb7fa444..8a51d6095 100755
--- a/.ci/test.sh
+++ b/.ci/test.sh
@@ -9,6 +9,6 @@ pushd install/koreader && {
     BUSTED_SPEC_FILE="$(circleci tests glob "spec/front/unit/*_spec.lua" | circleci tests split --split-by=timings --timings-type=filename | tr '\n' ' ')"
 } && popd || exit
 
-make testfront BUSTED_SPEC_FILE="${BUSTED_SPEC_FILE}"
+make testfront --assume-old=all BUSTED_SPEC_FILE="${BUSTED_SPEC_FILE}"
 
 # vim: sw=4
diff --git a/Makefile b/Makefile
index d901fc157..24d9678e1 100644
--- a/Makefile
+++ b/Makefile
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-PHONY = all android-ndk android-sdk base clean coverage distclean doc fetchthirdparty po pot re static-check test testfront
+PHONY = all android-ndk android-sdk base clean coverage distclean doc fetchthirdparty po pot re static-check test testbase testfront
 SOUND = $(INSTALL_DIR)/%
 
 # koreader-base directory
@@ -103,14 +103,14 @@ $(INSTALL_DIR)/koreader/.busted: .busted
 $(INSTALL_DIR)/koreader/.luacov:
 	$(SYMLINK) .luacov $@
 
-testfront: $(INSTALL_DIR)/koreader/.busted
+testbase: base-test
+
+testfront: all test-data $(INSTALL_DIR)/koreader/.busted
 	# sdr files may have unexpected impact on unit testing
 	-rm -rf spec/unit/data/*.sdr
 	cd $(INSTALL_DIR)/koreader && $(BUSTED_LUAJIT) $(BUSTED_OVERRIDES) $(BUSTED_SPEC_FILE)
 
-test: $(INSTALL_DIR)/koreader/.busted
-	$(MAKE) -C $(KOR_BASE) test
-	$(MAKE) testfront
+test: testbase testfront
 
 coverage: $(INSTALL_DIR)/koreader/.luacov
 	-rm -rf $(INSTALL_DIR)/koreader/luacov.*.out