diff --git a/src/ParallelTestRunner.jl b/src/ParallelTestRunner.jl
index ea4abed..bec95ff 100644
--- a/src/ParallelTestRunner.jl
+++ b/src/ParallelTestRunner.jl
@@ -146,10 +146,10 @@ function runtest(::Type{TestRecord}, f, name, init_code)
             wait(@spawnat 1 print_testworker_started(name, id))
         end
 
+        Core.eval(mod, init_code)
         data = @eval mod begin
             GC.gc(true)
             Random.seed!(1)
-            $init_code
 
             res = @timed @testset $name begin
                 $f
diff --git a/test/basic.jl b/test/basic.jl
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..8a617b3
--- /dev/null
+++ b/test/basic.jl
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+@test true
diff --git a/test/init.jl b/test/init.jl
deleted file mode 100644
index c83a2af..0000000
--- a/test/init.jl
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1 +0,0 @@
-@test should_be_defined()
diff --git a/test/runtests.jl b/test/runtests.jl
index e5b2257..71f9757 100644
--- a/test/runtests.jl
+++ b/test/runtests.jl
@@ -2,16 +2,21 @@ using ParallelTestRunner
 
 pushfirst!(ARGS, "--verbose")
 
+runtests(ARGS)
+
+# custom tests, and initialization code
 init_code = quote
     using Test
     should_be_defined() = true
-end
-
-runtests(ARGS; init_code)
 
+    macro should_also_be_defined()
+        return :(true)
+    end
+end
 custom_tests = Dict(
     "custom" => quote
         @test should_be_defined()
+        @test @should_also_be_defined()
     end
 )
 runtests(ARGS; init_code, custom_tests)