diff --git a/docs/tutorial_advanced.rst b/docs/tutorial_advanced.rst
index ea3c1b1ede..a5c72b97d8 100644
--- a/docs/tutorial_advanced.rst
+++ b/docs/tutorial_advanced.rst
@@ -261,7 +261,8 @@ Here is the full regression test:
    :lines: 6-
    :emphasize-lines: 6
 
-There is nothing special for this test compared to those presented so far except that it derives from the :class:`~reframe.core.pipeline.RunOnlyRegressionTest`.
+There is nothing special for this test compared to those presented so far except that it derives from the :class:`~reframe.core.pipeline.RunOnlyRegressionTest` class.
+Note that setting the :attr:`~reframe.core.pipeline.RegressionTest.executable` in this type of test is always required.
 Run-only regression tests may also have resources, as for instance a pre-compiled executable or some input data.
 These resources may reside under the ``src/`` directory or under any directory specified in the :attr:`~reframe.core.pipeline.RegressionTest.sourcesdir` attribute.
 These resources will be copied to the stage directory at the beginning of the run phase.
diff --git a/reframe/core/pipeline.py b/reframe/core/pipeline.py
index 571e6e0a3a..250e61d6be 100644
--- a/reframe/core/pipeline.py
+++ b/reframe/core/pipeline.py
@@ -348,8 +348,16 @@ def pipeline_hooks(cls):
 
     #: The name of the executable to be launched during the run phase.
     #:
+    #: If this variable is undefined when entering the compile pipeline
+    #: stage, it will be set to ``os.path.join('.', self.name)``. Classes
+    #: that override the compile stage may leave this variable undefined.
+    #:
     #: :type: :class:`str`
-    #: :default: ``os.path.join('.', self.name)``
+    #: :default: :class:`required`
+    #:
+    #: .. versionchanged:: 3.7.3
+    #:    Default value changed from ``os.path.join('.', self.name)`` to
+    #:    :class:`required`.
     executable = variable(str)
 
     #: List of options to be passed to the :attr:`executable`.
@@ -861,10 +869,6 @@ def __rfm_init__(self, *args, name=None, prefix=None, **kwargs):
         if not hasattr(self, 'descr'):
             self.descr = self.name
 
-        # Pass if the executable is a required variable.
-        if not hasattr(self, 'executable'):
-            self.executable = os.path.join('.', self.name)
-
         self._perfvalues = {}
 
         # Static directories of the regression check
@@ -1287,6 +1291,10 @@ def compile(self):
                 self._copy_to_stagedir(os.path.join(self._prefix,
                                                     self.sourcesdir))
 
+        # Set executable (only if hasn't been provided)
+        if not hasattr(self, 'executable'):
+            self.executable = os.path.join('.', self.name)
+
         # Verify the sourcepath and determine the sourcepath in the stagedir
         if (os.path.isabs(self.sourcepath) or
                 os.path.normpath(self.sourcepath).startswith('..')):
diff --git a/unittests/test_pipeline.py b/unittests/test_pipeline.py
index 20030a2ab6..73ede68969 100644
--- a/unittests/test_pipeline.py
+++ b/unittests/test_pipeline.py
@@ -302,6 +302,15 @@ class MyTest(rfm.RunOnlyRegressionTest):
     _run(test, *local_exec_ctx)
 
 
+def test_executable_is_required(local_exec_ctx):
+    class MyTest(rfm.RunOnlyRegressionTest):
+        valid_prog_environs = ['*']
+        valid_systems = ['*']
+
+    with pytest.raises(AttributeError, match="'executable' has not been set"):
+        _run(MyTest(), *local_exec_ctx)
+
+
 def test_compile_only_failure(local_exec_ctx):
     @test_util.custom_prefix('unittests/resources/checks')
     class MyTest(rfm.CompileOnlyRegressionTest):
@@ -319,7 +328,7 @@ def __init__(self):
 
 def test_compile_only_warning(local_exec_ctx):
     @test_util.custom_prefix('unittests/resources/checks')
-    class MyTest(rfm.RunOnlyRegressionTest):
+    class MyTest(rfm.CompileOnlyRegressionTest):
         def __init__(self):
             self.build_system = 'SingleSource'
             self.build_system.srcfile = 'compiler_warning.c'
diff --git a/unittests/test_policies.py b/unittests/test_policies.py
index 9e92b24997..5baf9ff94a 100644
--- a/unittests/test_policies.py
+++ b/unittests/test_policies.py
@@ -139,6 +139,7 @@ def check_and_skip(self):
         class _T1(rfm.RunOnlyRegressionTest):
             valid_systems = ['*']
             valid_prog_environs = ['*']
+            executable = 'echo'
             sanity_patterns = sn.assert_true(1)
 
             def __init__(self):