diff --git a/tools/build_utils/check_archives.py b/tools/build_utils/check_archives.py
index 5236df3fc6..51c75284a3 100755
--- a/tools/build_utils/check_archives.py
+++ b/tools/build_utils/check_archives.py
@@ -54,6 +54,9 @@ def check_output(*popenargs, **kwargs):
     return output
 
 #=============================================================================
-main()
+if(len(sys.argv)==2 and sys.argv[-1]=="--selftest"):
+    pass #TODO implement selftest
+else:
+    main()
 
 #EOF
diff --git a/tools/build_utils/discover_programs.py b/tools/build_utils/discover_programs.py
index 0829832868..d160c2a177 100755
--- a/tools/build_utils/discover_programs.py
+++ b/tools/build_utils/discover_programs.py
@@ -57,6 +57,9 @@ def has_main_function(fn):
     m = re_main.search(content)
     return(m != None)
 
-
-main()
+#===============================================================================
+if(len(sys.argv)==2 and sys.argv[-1]=="--selftest"):
+    pass #TODO implement selftest
+else:
+    main()
 #EOF
diff --git a/tools/build_utils/makedep.py b/tools/build_utils/makedep.py
index fe21332641..9ff5f57222 100755
--- a/tools/build_utils/makedep.py
+++ b/tools/build_utils/makedep.py
@@ -313,6 +313,9 @@ def all(iterable):
     return(True)
 
 #=============================================================================
-main()
+if(len(sys.argv)==2 and sys.argv[-1]=="--selftest"):
+    pass #TODO implement selftest
+else:
+    main()
 
 #EOF
diff --git a/tools/conventions/analyze_gfortran_ast.py b/tools/conventions/analyze_gfortran_ast.py
index bf9a1c72d4..ae9834fcea 100755
--- a/tools/conventions/analyze_gfortran_ast.py
+++ b/tools/conventions/analyze_gfortran_ast.py
@@ -159,6 +159,8 @@ def parse_args(line):
     raise(Exception("Could not find matching parentheses"))
 
 #===============================================================================
-main()
-
+if(len(sys.argv)==2 and sys.argv[-1]=="--selftest"):
+    pass #TODO implement selftest
+else:
+    main()
 #EOF
diff --git a/tools/conventions/analyze_gfortran_warnings.py b/tools/conventions/analyze_gfortran_warnings.py
index fa4293dedc..b78b6b0c8c 100755
--- a/tools/conventions/analyze_gfortran_warnings.py
+++ b/tools/conventions/analyze_gfortran_warnings.py
@@ -96,5 +96,8 @@ def may_call_implicit(loc, routine):
     return(re.match(manifest["implicit"], routine))
 
 #===============================================================================
-main()
+if(len(sys.argv)==2 and sys.argv[-1]=="--selftest"):
+    pass #TODO implement selftest
+else:
+    main()
 #EOF
diff --git a/tools/conventions/analyze_src.py b/tools/conventions/analyze_src.py
index 81ab7a5325..8c311f1681 100755
--- a/tools/conventions/analyze_src.py
+++ b/tools/conventions/analyze_src.py
@@ -103,6 +103,8 @@ def main():
                 print("Text file %s contains DOS linebreaks"%absfn[len(cp2k_dir):])
 
 #===============================================================================
-
-main()
+if(len(sys.argv)==2 and sys.argv[-1]=="--selftest"):
+    pass #TODO implement selftest
+else:
+    main()
 #EOF
diff --git a/tools/conventions/summarize_issues.py b/tools/conventions/summarize_issues.py
index 7cb53230f5..9020470e28 100755
--- a/tools/conventions/summarize_issues.py
+++ b/tools/conventions/summarize_issues.py
@@ -51,6 +51,9 @@ def main():
 
 
 #===============================================================================
-main()
+if(len(sys.argv)==2 and sys.argv[-1] == "--selftest"):
+    pass #TODO implement selftest
+else:
+    main()
 
 #EOF
diff --git a/tools/coverage/bcast_tmpl_coverage.py b/tools/coverage/bcast_tmpl_coverage.py
index 45f6892104..173e466d91 100755
--- a/tools/coverage/bcast_tmpl_coverage.py
+++ b/tools/coverage/bcast_tmpl_coverage.py
@@ -120,6 +120,9 @@ def similar(a, b):
     diffs = len(a_parts) - sum([i==j for i,j in zip(a_parts, b_parts)])
     return(diffs ==  1) # at most one field may differ
 
-
-main()
+#===============================================================================
+if(len(sys.argv)==2 and sys.argv[-1]=="--selftest"):
+    pass #TODO implement selftest
+else:
+    main()
 #EOF
diff --git a/tools/coverage/test_coverage.py b/tools/coverage/test_coverage.py
index 137fab338b..3c69bffb05 100755
--- a/tools/coverage/test_coverage.py
+++ b/tools/coverage/test_coverage.py
@@ -74,6 +74,9 @@ def main():
     open(ref_fn, "w").write(pformat(new_ref_coverage))
 
 #===============================================================================
-main()
+if(len(sys.argv)==2 and sys.argv[-1]=="--selftest"):
+    pass #TODO implement selftest
+else:
+    main()
 
 #EOF
diff --git a/tools/dashboard/generate_dashboard.py b/tools/dashboard/generate_dashboard.py
index 04f0806426..359c66b849 100755
--- a/tools/dashboard/generate_dashboard.py
+++ b/tools/dashboard/generate_dashboard.py
@@ -594,5 +594,8 @@ def check_output(command, **kwargs):
     return(output)
 
 #===============================================================================
-main()
+if(len(sys.argv)==2 and sys.argv[-1]=="--selftest"):
+    pass #TODO implement selftest
+else:
+    main()
 #EOF
diff --git a/tools/dashboard/generate_regtest_survey.py b/tools/dashboard/generate_regtest_survey.py
index 27faa7c31f..a668e9e1af 100755
--- a/tools/dashboard/generate_regtest_survey.py
+++ b/tools/dashboard/generate_regtest_survey.py
@@ -269,5 +269,8 @@ def parse_report(fn):
 
 
 #===============================================================================
-main()
+if(len(sys.argv)==2 and sys.argv[-1]=="--selftest"):
+    pass #TODO implement selftest
+else:
+    main()
 #EOF
diff --git a/tools/find_bitrot_code.py b/tools/find_bitrot_code.py
index 06bb604b72..4ff3544971 100755
--- a/tools/find_bitrot_code.py
+++ b/tools/find_bitrot_code.py
@@ -55,5 +55,8 @@ def check(fn):
 
 
 #===============================================================================
-main()
+if(len(sys.argv)==2 and sys.argv[-1]=="--selftest"):
+    pass #TODO implement selftest
+else:
+    main()
 #EOF
diff --git a/tools/find_openmp_mistakes.py b/tools/find_openmp_mistakes.py
index 02db74bc61..cc59dc51d9 100755
--- a/tools/find_openmp_mistakes.py
+++ b/tools/find_openmp_mistakes.py
@@ -51,5 +51,8 @@ def check(fn):
 
 
 #===============================================================================
-main()
+if(len(sys.argv)==2 and sys.argv[-1]=="--selftest"):
+    pass #TODO implement selftest
+else:
+    main()
 #EOF
diff --git a/tools/fix_unused_public.py b/tools/fix_unused_public.py
index 89da5f3aa9..7a3b8cc64f 100755
--- a/tools/fix_unused_public.py
+++ b/tools/fix_unused_public.py
@@ -145,8 +145,10 @@ def parse_file(fn):
 
     return({"mod":mods, "use":uses, "pub":publics})
 
-
-#=============================================================================
-main()
+#===============================================================================
+if(len(sys.argv)==2 and sys.argv[-1]=="--selftest"):
+    pass #TODO implement selftest
+else:
+    main()
 
 #EOF
diff --git a/tools/formatting/replacer.py b/tools/formatting/replacer.py
index b6f7f00f26..f2fa168350 100755
--- a/tools/formatting/replacer.py
+++ b/tools/formatting/replacer.py
@@ -41,6 +41,8 @@ def replaceWords(infile,outfile,replacements=repl,
 if __name__ == '__main__':
     if len(sys.argv)<2:
         print "usage:", sys.argv[0]," file_in file_out"
+    elif(len(sys.argv)==2 and sys.argv[-1]=="--selftest"):
+        pass #TODO implement selftest
     else:
         infile=open(sys.argv[1],'r')
         outfile=open(sys.argv[2],'w')
diff --git a/tools/formatting/txt2doku.py b/tools/formatting/txt2doku.py
index ca99bda7b8..00ee61a7a7 100755
--- a/tools/formatting/txt2doku.py
+++ b/tools/formatting/txt2doku.py
@@ -85,6 +85,8 @@ def linkify(line):
 #        raise(Exception("Unexpected http code: %d"%r.status))
 
 #-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
-main()
-
+if(len(sys.argv)==2 and sys.argv[-1]=="--selftest"):
+    pass #TODO implement selftest
+else:
+    main()
 #EOF
diff --git a/tools/instantiateTemplates.py b/tools/instantiateTemplates.py
index 6fd778d7b8..4b32f6d44b 100755
--- a/tools/instantiateTemplates.py
+++ b/tools/instantiateTemplates.py
@@ -127,6 +127,8 @@ def evaluateInstantiationFile(instantiationFile,bkDir,logFile=sys.stdout,outDir=
 if __name__ == '__main__':
     if len(sys.argv)<2:
         print "usage:", sys.argv[0]," [--backup-dir=bk_dir] template1.instantiation [template2.instantiation ...]"
+    elif(len(sys.argv)==2 and sys.argv[-1]=="--selftest"):
+        pass #TODO implement selftest
     else:
         if(sys.argv[1].startswith("--backup-dir=")):
             bkDir = sys.argv[1].split("=",1)[1]
diff --git a/tools/logo/gen_cp2k_logo.py b/tools/logo/gen_cp2k_logo.py
index bdff15317c..abbec27cae 100755
--- a/tools/logo/gen_cp2k_logo.py
+++ b/tools/logo/gen_cp2k_logo.py
@@ -6,6 +6,7 @@
 # author: Ole Schuett
 
 import os
+import sys
 
 #-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
 def main():
@@ -63,5 +64,8 @@ def gen_povray():
 
 
 #-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
-main()
+if(len(sys.argv)==2 and sys.argv[-1]=="--selftest"):
+    pass #TODO implement selftest
+else:
+    main()
 #EOF
diff --git a/tools/manual/generate_sitemap.py b/tools/manual/generate_sitemap.py
index d8c7a5c42b..112ed10440 100755
--- a/tools/manual/generate_sitemap.py
+++ b/tools/manual/generate_sitemap.py
@@ -2,6 +2,7 @@
 # -*- coding: utf-8 -*-
 
 import os
+import sys
 import gzip
 from os import path
 from datetime import datetime
@@ -45,5 +46,9 @@ def main():
     f.close()
     print("Wrote "+fn_out)
 
-main()
+#===============================================================================
+if(len(sys.argv)==2 and sys.argv[-1]=="--selftest"):
+    pass #TODO implement selftest
+else:
+    main()
 #EOF
diff --git a/tools/package_planner/plan_packages.py b/tools/package_planner/plan_packages.py
index c8e09c4334..1fffc6dea2 100755
--- a/tools/package_planner/plan_packages.py
+++ b/tools/package_planner/plan_packages.py
@@ -270,6 +270,9 @@ def error(msg):
 
 
 #=============================================================================
-main()
+if(len(sys.argv)==2 and sys.argv[-1]=="--selftest"):
+    pass #TODO implement selftest
+else:
+    main()
 
 #EOF
diff --git a/tools/regtesting/prettify_TEST_FILES.py b/tools/regtesting/prettify_TEST_FILES.py
index 9a1e2e95e0..1e0d840285 100755
--- a/tools/regtesting/prettify_TEST_FILES.py
+++ b/tools/regtesting/prettify_TEST_FILES.py
@@ -47,5 +47,9 @@ def main():
         f.write(output)
         f.close()
 
-main()
+#===============================================================================
+if(len(sys.argv)==2 and sys.argv[-1]=="--selftest"):
+    pass #TODO implement selftest
+else:
+    main()
 #EOF
diff --git a/tools/regtesting/test_scaling.py b/tools/regtesting/test_scaling.py
index a61d71719b..eea5997a6f 100755
--- a/tools/regtesting/test_scaling.py
+++ b/tools/regtesting/test_scaling.py
@@ -111,5 +111,9 @@ def parse_output(out_fn, ref_energy):
     runtime = float(re.findall("\n CP2K      (.*)\n", output)[-1].split()[-1])
     return(runtime)
 
-main()
+#===============================================================================
+if(len(sys.argv)==2 and sys.argv[-1]=="--selftest"):
+    pass #TODO implement selftest
+else:
+    main()
 #EOF