diff --git a/tools/docker/scripts/test_python.sh b/tools/docker/scripts/test_python.sh
index 90b8817572..f3bbebc4dc 100755
--- a/tools/docker/scripts/test_python.sh
+++ b/tools/docker/scripts/test_python.sh
@@ -34,8 +34,8 @@ ERRORS=0
 cd /workspace/cp2k
 
 # find executable python scripts
-ALL_SCRIPTS=$(find ./src/ ./tools/ -name "*.py"  -executable)
-ESSENTIAL_SCRIPTS=$(find ./tools/build_utils -name "*.py"  -executable)
+ALL_TEST_SCRIPTS=$(find ./src/ ./tools/ -name "*_test.py"  -executable)
+ESSENTIAL_TEST_SCRIPTS=$(find ./tools/build_utils -name "*_test.py"  -executable)
 
 # python 2.6
 run_selftests python2.6 "${ESSENTIAL_SCRIPTS}"
diff --git a/tools/prettify/prettify.py b/tools/prettify/prettify.py
index a2edd7c21f..8ba6b7d18b 100755
--- a/tools/prettify/prettify.py
+++ b/tools/prettify/prettify.py
@@ -15,7 +15,6 @@ except ImportError:
 from prettify_cp2k import normalizeFortranFile
 from prettify_cp2k import replacer
 from fprettify import reformat_ffile, fparse_utils, log_exception
-from prettify_cp2k import selftest
 
 
 OPERATORS_STR = r"\.(?:and|eqv?|false|g[et]|l[et]|n(?:e(?:|qv)|ot)|or|true)\."
@@ -380,41 +379,6 @@ def main(argv=None):
                         "Processing file '" + fileName + "'\n")
         return(failure > 0)
 
-#=========================================================================
 
-
-def run_selftest():
-    # create temporary file with example code
-    fn = os.path.join(tempfile.gettempdir(), "prettify_selftest.F")
-    ref = selftest.content
-    f = open(fn, "w")
-    f.write(ref)
-    f.close()
-
-    # call prettify
-    rtn = main([sys.argv[0], fn])
-    assert(rtn == 0)
-
-    # check if file was altered
-    result = open(fn).read()
-    for i, (l1, l2) in enumerate(zip(result.split("\n"), ref.split("\n"))):
-        if(l1 != l2):
-            print("Error: Line %d is not invariant." % i)
-            print("before: " + l1)
-            print("after : " + l2)
-            os.remove(fn)
-            return(1)
-
-    os.remove(fn)
-    print("Prettify selftest passed.")
-    return(0)
-
-#=========================================================================
 if(__name__ == '__main__'):
-    if(len(sys.argv) == 2 and sys.argv[-1] == "--selftest"):
-        rtn = run_selftest()
-    else:
-        rtn = main()
-
-    sys.exit(rtn)
-# EOF
+    sys.exit(main())
diff --git a/tools/prettify/prettify_test.py b/tools/prettify/prettify_test.py
new file mode 100755
index 0000000000..6011974912
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tools/prettify/prettify_test.py
@@ -0,0 +1,38 @@
+#!/usr/bin/env python
+
+from __future__ import absolute_import
+
+import unittest
+import os
+import tempfile
+import shutil
+import sys
+
+from prettify import main
+from prettify_cp2k import selftest
+
+class TestSingleFileFolder(unittest.TestCase):
+    def setUp(self):
+        self.tempdir = tempfile.mkdtemp()
+        self.fname = os.path.join(self.tempdir, "prettify_selftest.F")
+
+        # create temporary file with example code
+        with open(self.fname, "w") as fhandle:
+            fhandle.write(selftest.content)
+
+    def tearDown(self):
+        shutil.rmtree(self.tempdir)
+
+    def test_prettify(self):
+
+        # call prettify, the return value should be 0 (OK)
+        self.assertEqual(main([sys.argv[0], self.fname]), 0)
+
+        # check if file was altered (it shouldn't)
+        with open(self.fname) as fhandle:
+            result = fhandle.read()
+
+        self.assertEqual(result.splitlines(), selftest.content.splitlines())
+
+if __name__ == '__main__':
+    unittest.main()