diff --git a/ct_core/test/CMakeLists.txt b/ct_core/test/CMakeLists.txt
index 7116a184..e2e64587 100644
--- a/ct_core/test/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/ct_core/test/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -40,3 +40,10 @@ add_custom_command(TARGET run_tests
     POST_BUILD COMMAND ${PROJECT_SOURCE_DIR}/test/run_tests.py ${CMAKE_CURRENT_BINARY_DIR} ${UNIT_TEST_TARGETS}
     WORKING_DIRECTORY ${CMAKE_BINARY_DIR}
     )
+
+## install tests
+include(GNUInstallDirs)
+install(
+    TARGETS ${UNIT_TEST_TARGETS}
+    RUNTIME DESTINATION ${CMAKE_INSTALL_LIBDIR}/ct_core
+    )
diff --git a/ct_models/test/CMakeLists.txt b/ct_models/test/CMakeLists.txt
index 09685e8e..1c2d02da 100644
--- a/ct_models/test/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/ct_models/test/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -29,4 +29,11 @@ add_custom_command(TARGET run_tests
     COMMENT "Running tests"
     POST_BUILD COMMAND ${PROJECT_SOURCE_DIR}/test/run_tests.py ${CMAKE_CURRENT_BINARY_DIR} ${UNIT_TEST_TARGETS}
     WORKING_DIRECTORY ${CMAKE_BINARY_DIR}
+    )
+
+## install tests
+include(GNUInstallDirs)
+install(
+    TARGETS ${UNIT_TEST_TARGETS}
+    RUNTIME DESTINATION ${CMAKE_INSTALL_LIBDIR}/ct_models
     )
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/ct_optcon/CMakeLists.txt b/ct_optcon/CMakeLists.txt
index 5e91ebeb..85fb66b0 100644
--- a/ct_optcon/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/ct_optcon/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -17,9 +17,6 @@ set(CMAKE_EXPORT_COMPILE_COMMANDS TRUE)
 ## find and include required dependencies
 find_package(ct_core REQUIRED)
 
-## add compiler definitions exported by ct_core
-add_definitions(${ct_core_COMPILE_DEFINITIONS}) #todo this should ultimately go away
-
 
 ## find and include optional dependencies
 option(MATLAB "Compile with matlab support" OFF)
diff --git a/ct_optcon/test/CMakeLists.txt b/ct_optcon/test/CMakeLists.txt
index 038e14c1..b864b875 100644
--- a/ct_optcon/test/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/ct_optcon/test/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -81,4 +81,11 @@ add_custom_command(TARGET run_tests
     COMMENT "Running tests"
     POST_BUILD COMMAND ${PROJECT_SOURCE_DIR}/test/run_tests.py ${CMAKE_CURRENT_BINARY_DIR} ${UNIT_TEST_TARGETS}
     WORKING_DIRECTORY ${CMAKE_BINARY_DIR}
+    )
+
+    ## install tests
+include(GNUInstallDirs)
+install(
+    TARGETS ${UNIT_TEST_TARGETS}
+    RUNTIME DESTINATION ${CMAKE_INSTALL_LIBDIR}/ct_optcon
     )
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/ct_rbd/test/CMakeLists.txt b/ct_rbd/test/CMakeLists.txt
index 1f38a8b2..b4dc60c0 100644
--- a/ct_rbd/test/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/ct_rbd/test/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -63,4 +63,11 @@ add_custom_command(TARGET run_tests
     COMMENT "Running tests"
     POST_BUILD COMMAND ${PROJECT_SOURCE_DIR}/test/run_tests.py ${CMAKE_CURRENT_BINARY_DIR} ${UNIT_TEST_TARGETS}
     WORKING_DIRECTORY ${CMAKE_BINARY_DIR}
+    )
+
+## install tests
+include(GNUInstallDirs)
+install(
+    TARGETS ${UNIT_TEST_TARGETS}
+    RUNTIME DESTINATION ${CMAKE_INSTALL_LIBDIR}/ct_rbd
     )
\ No newline at end of file