diff --git a/appveyor-build.cmd b/appveyor-build.cmd
index 606334f604f..1da71b55891 100644
--- a/appveyor-build.cmd
+++ b/appveyor-build.cmd
@@ -49,6 +49,11 @@ REM @if ERRORLEVEL 1 echo Error: library net20 debug build failed && goto :eof
 %_msbuildexe% src/fsharp-library-build.proj /p:TargetFramework=portable259
 @if ERRORLEVEL 1 echo Error: library portable259 debug build failed && goto :eof
 
+                                                                                                 
+%_msbuildexe% src/fsharp-compiler-unittests-build.proj
+@if ERRORLEVEL 1 echo Error: compiler unittests debug build failed && goto :eof
+
+
 %_msbuildexe% src/fsharp-library-unittests-build.proj /p:UseNugetPackages=true
 @if ERRORLEVEL 1 echo Error: library unittests debug build failed && goto :eof
 
@@ -81,6 +86,9 @@ REM Disabled while working out perl problem, see https://github.com/Microsoft/vi
 REM call RunTests.cmd debug fsharpqa Smoke
 REM @if ERRORLEVEL 1 echo Error: 'RunTests.cmd debug fsharpqa Smoke' failed && goto :eof
 
+call RunTests.cmd debug compilerunit
+@if ERRORLEVEL 1 echo Error: 'RunTests.cmd debug compilerunit' failed && goto :eof
+
 call RunTests.cmd debug coreunit
 @if ERRORLEVEL 1 echo Error: 'RunTests.cmd debug coreunit' failed && goto :eof
 
diff --git a/src/fsharp/FSharp.Compiler.Unittests/FSharp.Compiler.Unittests.fsproj b/src/fsharp/FSharp.Compiler.Unittests/FSharp.Compiler.Unittests.fsproj
index f48ce0fcbf3..280b96abace 100644
--- a/src/fsharp/FSharp.Compiler.Unittests/FSharp.Compiler.Unittests.fsproj
+++ b/src/fsharp/FSharp.Compiler.Unittests/FSharp.Compiler.Unittests.fsproj
@@ -20,12 +20,6 @@
     <Optimize>false</Optimize>
     <Tailcalls>false</Tailcalls>
     <TargetProfile Condition=" '$(TargetFramework)' == 'portable7' or '$(TargetFramework)' == 'portable78' or '$(TargetFramework)' == 'portable259' ">netcore</TargetProfile>
-    <!-- workaround for msbuild narrowing the assembly search paths when building portable libs -->
-    <AssemblySearchPaths Condition="$(TargetFramework.Contains('portable'))">
-      {CandidateAssemblyFiles};
-      {TargetFrameworkDirectory};
-      {Registry:Software\Microsoft\.NETFramework,v4.5,AssemblyFoldersEx};
-    </AssemblySearchPaths>
   </PropertyGroup>
   <PropertyGroup>
     <DefineConstants Condition=" '$(TargetFramework)' == 'sl5' ">$(DefineConstants);SILVERLIGHT</DefineConstants>
@@ -50,8 +44,9 @@
   </PropertyGroup>
   <ItemGroup>
     <!-- need full name and SpecificVersion = true in order to convince msbuild to allow this reference when targeting portable47 -->
-    <Reference Include="nunit.framework, Version=2.6.3.13283, Culture=neutral, PublicKeyToken=96d09a1eb7f44a77" Condition="'$(TargetFramework)' != 'sl5' AND '$(TargetFramework)' != 'sl3-wp'">
-      <SpecificVersion>true</SpecificVersion>
+    <Reference Include="nunit.framework, Version=2.6.3.13283, Culture=neutral, PublicKeyToken=96d09a1eb7f44a77" Condition="'$(TargetFramework)' != 'sl5' AND '$(TargetFramework)' != 'sl3-wp'" >
+        <SpecificVersion>true</SpecificVersion>
+        <HintPath>$(FSharpSourcesRoot)\..\packages\NUnit.2.6.3\lib\nunit.framework.dll</HintPath>
     </Reference>
     <Reference Include="NUnitFramework" Condition="'$(TargetFramework)' == 'sl5' OR '$(TargetFramework)' == 'sl3-wp'" />
   </ItemGroup>