diff --git a/test/README b/test/README
index 104a120e..7acdb4b8 100644
--- a/test/README
+++ b/test/README
@@ -189,17 +189,17 @@ Test harness library
 There are a handful helper functions defined in the test harness
 library for your script to use.
 
- test_expect_success <message> <script>
-
-   This takes two strings as parameter, and evaluates the
-   <script>.  If it yields success, test is considered
-   successful.  <message> should state what it is testing.
-
  test_begin_subtest <message>
 
-   Set the test description message for a subsequent test_expect_equal
+   Set the test description message for a subsequent test_expect_*
    invocation (see below).
 
+ test_expect_success <script>
+
+   This takes a string as parameter, and evaluates the
+   <script>.  If it yields success, test is considered
+   successful.
+
  test_subtest_known_broken
 
    Mark the current test as broken.  Such tests are expected to fail.
diff --git a/test/T000-basic.sh b/test/T000-basic.sh
index 78e18336..003ab95f 100755
--- a/test/T000-basic.sh
+++ b/test/T000-basic.sh
@@ -18,20 +18,17 @@ fi
 
 ################################################################
 # Test harness
-test_expect_success 'success is reported like this' '
-    :
-'
+test_begin_subtest 'success is reported like this'
+test_expect_success ':'
+
+test_begin_subtest 'test runs if prerequisite is satisfied'
 test_set_prereq HAVEIT
 haveit=no
-test_expect_success 'test runs if prerequisite is satisfied' '
-    test_have_prereq HAVEIT &&
-    haveit=yes
-'
+test_expect_success 'test_have_prereq HAVEIT && haveit=yes'
 
+test_begin_subtest 'tests clean up after themselves'
 clean=no
-test_expect_success 'tests clean up after themselves' '
-    test_when_finished clean=yes
-'
+test_expect_success 'test_when_finished clean=yes'
 
 cleaner=no
 test_expect_code 1 'tests clean up even after a failure' '
@@ -72,19 +69,15 @@ test_expect_equal "$output" "$expected"
 ################################################################
 # Test mail store prepared in test-lib.sh
 
-test_expect_success \
-    'test that mail store was created' \
-    'test -d "${MAIL_DIR}"'
-
+test_begin_subtest 'test that mail store was created'
+test_expect_success 'test -d "${MAIL_DIR}"'
 
+test_begin_subtest 'mail store should be empty'
 find "${MAIL_DIR}" -type f -print >should-be-empty
-test_expect_success \
-    'mail store should be empty' \
-    'cmp -s /dev/null should-be-empty'
+test_expect_success 'cmp -s /dev/null should-be-empty'
 
-test_expect_success \
-    'NOTMUCH_CONFIG is set and points to an existing file' \
-    'test -f "${NOTMUCH_CONFIG}"'
+test_begin_subtest 'NOTMUCH_CONFIG is set and points to an existing file'
+test_expect_success 'test -f "${NOTMUCH_CONFIG}"'
 
 test_begin_subtest 'PATH is set to build directory'
 test_expect_equal \
diff --git a/test/T010-help-test.sh b/test/T010-help-test.sh
index c1732376..0c833de2 100755
--- a/test/T010-help-test.sh
+++ b/test/T010-help-test.sh
@@ -3,18 +3,27 @@
 test_description="online help"
 . ./test-lib.sh || exit 1
 
-test_expect_success 'notmuch --help' 'notmuch --help'
-test_expect_success 'notmuch help' 'notmuch help'
-test_expect_success 'notmuch --version' 'notmuch --version'
+test_begin_subtest 'notmuch --help'
+test_expect_success 'notmuch --help'
+
+test_begin_subtest 'notmuch help'
+test_expect_success 'notmuch help'
+
+test_begin_subtest 'notmuch --version'
+test_expect_success 'notmuch --version'
 
 if [ $NOTMUCH_HAVE_MAN -eq 1 ]; then
-    test_expect_success 'notmuch --help tag' 'notmuch --help tag'
-    test_expect_success 'notmuch help tag' 'notmuch help tag'
+    test_begin_subtest 'notmuch --help tag'
+    test_expect_success 'notmuch --help tag'
+
+    test_begin_subtest 'notmuch help tag'
+    test_expect_success 'notmuch help tag'
 else
-    test_expect_success 'notmuch --help tag (man pages not available)' \
-	'test_must_fail notmuch --help tag >/dev/null'
-    test_expect_success 'notmuch help tag (man pages not available)' \
-	'test_must_fail notmuch help tag >/dev/null'
+    test_begin_subtest 'notmuch --help tag (man pages not available)'
+    test_expect_success 'test_must_fail notmuch --help tag >/dev/null'
+
+    test_begin_subtest 'notmuch help tag (man pages not available)'
+    test_expect_success 'test_must_fail notmuch help tag >/dev/null'
 fi
 
 test_done
diff --git a/test/T020-compact.sh b/test/T020-compact.sh
index 8b4dbbc4..1fecd071 100755
--- a/test/T020-compact.sh
+++ b/test/T020-compact.sh
@@ -21,7 +21,8 @@ Compaction failed: Unsupported operation"
     test_done
 fi
 
-test_expect_success "Running compact" "notmuch compact --backup=${TEST_DIRECTORY}/xapian.old"
+test_begin_subtest "Running compact"
+test_expect_success "notmuch compact --backup=${TEST_DIRECTORY}/xapian.old"
 
 test_begin_subtest "Compact preserves database"
 output=$(notmuch search \* | notmuch_search_sanitize)
@@ -30,8 +31,8 @@ thread:XXX   2001-01-05 [1/1] Notmuch Test Suite; One (inbox tag1 unread)
 thread:XXX   2001-01-05 [1/1] Notmuch Test Suite; Two (inbox tag1 tag2 unread)
 thread:XXX   2001-01-05 [1/1] Notmuch Test Suite; Three (inbox tag3 unread)"
 
-test_expect_success 'Restoring Backup' \
-    'rm -Rf ${MAIL_DIR}/.notmuch/xapian &&
+test_begin_subtest "Restoring Backup"
+test_expect_success 'rm -Rf ${MAIL_DIR}/.notmuch/xapian &&
      mv ${TEST_DIRECTORY}/xapian.old ${MAIL_DIR}/.notmuch/xapian'
 
 test_begin_subtest "Checking restored backup"
diff --git a/test/T190-multipart.sh b/test/T190-multipart.sh
index a31d61e2..a6b155e9 100755
--- a/test/T190-multipart.sh
+++ b/test/T190-multipart.sh
@@ -338,9 +338,8 @@ Non-text part: application/pgp-signature
 EOF
 test_expect_equal_file OUTPUT EXPECTED
 
-test_expect_success \
-    "--format=text --part=8, no part, expect error" \
-    "notmuch show --format=text --part=8 'id:87liy5ap00.fsf@yoom.home.cworth.org'"
+test_begin_subtest "--format=text --part=8, no part, expect error"
+test_expect_success "notmuch show --format=text --part=8 'id:87liy5ap00.fsf@yoom.home.cworth.org'"
 
 test_begin_subtest "--format=json --part=0, full message"
 notmuch show --format=json --part=0 'id:87liy5ap00.fsf@yoom.home.cworth.org' >OUTPUT
@@ -444,9 +443,8 @@ cat <<EOF >EXPECTED
 EOF
 test_expect_equal_json "$(cat OUTPUT)" "$(cat EXPECTED)"
 
-test_expect_success \
-    "--format=json --part=10, no part, expect error" \
-    "notmuch show --format=json --part=10 'id:87liy5ap00.fsf@yoom.home.cworth.org'"
+test_begin_subtest "--format=json --part=10, no part, expect error"
+test_expect_success "notmuch show --format=json --part=10 'id:87liy5ap00.fsf@yoom.home.cworth.org'"
 
 test_begin_subtest "--format=raw"
 notmuch show --format=raw 'id:87liy5ap00.fsf@yoom.home.cworth.org' >OUTPUT
@@ -580,9 +578,8 @@ W6cAmQE4dcYrx/LPLtYLZm1jsGauE5hE
 EOF
 test_expect_equal_file OUTPUT EXPECTED
 
-test_expect_success \
-    "--format=raw --part=10, no part, expect error" \
-    "notmuch show --format=raw --part=8 'id:87liy5ap00.fsf@yoom.home.cworth.org'"
+test_begin_subtest "--format=raw --part=10, no part, expect error"
+test_expect_success "notmuch show --format=raw --part=8 'id:87liy5ap00.fsf@yoom.home.cworth.org'"
 
 test_begin_subtest "--format=mbox"
 notmuch show --format=mbox 'id:87liy5ap00.fsf@yoom.home.cworth.org' >OUTPUT
@@ -592,9 +589,8 @@ cat "${MAIL_DIR}"/multipart >>EXPECTED
 echo >>EXPECTED
 test_expect_equal_file OUTPUT EXPECTED
 
-test_expect_success \
-    "--format=mbox --part=1, incompatible, expect error" \
-    "! notmuch show --format=mbox --part=1 'id:87liy5ap00.fsf@yoom.home.cworth.org'"
+test_begin_subtest "--format=mbox --part=1, incompatible, expect error"
+test_expect_success "! notmuch show --format=mbox --part=1 'id:87liy5ap00.fsf@yoom.home.cworth.org'"
 
 test_begin_subtest "'notmuch reply' to a multipart message"
 notmuch reply 'id:87liy5ap00.fsf@yoom.home.cworth.org' >OUTPUT
diff --git a/test/T240-dump-restore.sh b/test/T240-dump-restore.sh
index faa10364..206c3ae1 100755
--- a/test/T240-dump-restore.sh
+++ b/test/T240-dump-restore.sh
@@ -4,52 +4,58 @@ test_description="\"notmuch dump\" and \"notmuch restore\""
 
 add_email_corpus
 
-test_expect_success 'Dumping all tags' \
-  'generate_message &&
-  notmuch new &&
-  notmuch dump > dump.expected'
+test_begin_subtest "Dumping all tags"
+test_expect_success 'generate_message && notmuch new && notmuch dump > dump.expected'
 
 # The use of from:cworth is rather arbitrary: it matches some of the
 # email corpus' messages, but not all of them.
 
-test_expect_success 'Dumping all tags II' \
+test_begin_subtest "Dumping all tags II"
+test_expect_success \
   'notmuch tag +ABC +DEF -- from:cworth &&
   notmuch dump > dump-ABC_DEF.expected &&
   ! cmp dump.expected dump-ABC_DEF.expected'
 
-test_expect_success 'Clearing all tags' \
+test_begin_subtest "Clearing all tags"
+test_expect_success \
   'sed -e "s/(\([^(]*\))$/()/" < dump.expected > clear.expected &&
   notmuch restore --input=clear.expected &&
   notmuch dump > clear.actual &&
   test_cmp clear.expected clear.actual'
 
-test_expect_success 'Accumulate original tags' \
+test_begin_subtest "Clearing all tags"
+test_expect_success \
   'notmuch tag +ABC +DEF -- from:cworth &&
   notmuch restore --accumulate < dump.expected &&
   notmuch dump > dump.actual &&
   test_cmp dump-ABC_DEF.expected dump.actual'
 
-test_expect_success 'Restoring original tags' \
+test_begin_subtest "Restoring original tags"
+test_expect_success \
   'notmuch restore --input=dump.expected &&
   notmuch dump > dump.actual &&
   test_cmp dump.expected dump.actual'
 
-test_expect_success 'Restore with nothing to do' \
+test_begin_subtest "Restore with nothing to do"
+test_expect_success \
   'notmuch restore < dump.expected &&
   notmuch dump > dump.actual &&
   test_cmp dump.expected dump.actual'
 
-test_expect_success 'Accumulate with existing tags' \
+test_begin_subtest "Accumulate with existing tags"
+test_expect_success \
   'notmuch restore --accumulate --input=dump.expected &&
   notmuch dump > dump.actual &&
   test_cmp dump.expected dump.actual'
 
-test_expect_success 'Accumulate with no tags' \
+test_begin_subtest "Accumulate with no tags"
+test_expect_success \
   'notmuch restore --accumulate < clear.expected &&
   notmuch dump > dump.actual &&
   test_cmp dump.expected dump.actual'
 
-test_expect_success 'Accumulate with new tags' \
+test_begin_subtest "Accumulate with new tags"
+test_expect_success \
   'notmuch restore --input=dump.expected &&
   notmuch restore --accumulate --input=dump-ABC_DEF.expected &&
   notmuch dump >  OUTPUT.$test_count &&
@@ -57,7 +63,8 @@ test_expect_success 'Accumulate with new tags' \
   test_cmp dump-ABC_DEF.expected OUTPUT.$test_count'
 
 # notmuch restore currently only considers the first argument.
-test_expect_success 'Invalid restore invocation' \
+test_begin_subtest "Invalid restore invocation"
+test_expect_success \
   'test_must_fail notmuch restore --input=dump.expected another_one'
 
 test_begin_subtest "dump --output=outfile"
diff --git a/test/T310-emacs.sh b/test/T310-emacs.sh
index f626d9a7..4ca081c8 100755
--- a/test/T310-emacs.sh
+++ b/test/T310-emacs.sh
@@ -8,8 +8,8 @@ EXPECTED=$TEST_DIRECTORY/emacs.expected-output
 add_email_corpus
 
 # syntax errors in test-lib.el cause mysterious failures
-test_expect_success 'Syntax of emacs test library' \
-    "${TEST_EMACS} -Q --batch --load $TEST_DIRECTORY/test-lib.el"
+test_begin_subtest "Syntax of emacs test library"
+test_expect_success "${TEST_EMACS} -Q --batch --load $TEST_DIRECTORY/test-lib.el"
 
 test_begin_subtest "Basic notmuch-hello view in emacs"
 test_emacs '(notmuch-hello)
@@ -983,9 +983,8 @@ test_emacs "(let ((mm-text-html-renderer
 # Different Emacs versions and renderers give very different results,
 # so just check that something reasonable showed up.  We first cat the
 # output so the test framework will print it if the test fails.
-test_expect_success "Rendering HTML mail with images" \
-    'cat OUTPUT && grep -q smiley OUTPUT'
-
+test_begin_subtest "Rendering HTML mail with images"
+test_expect_success 'cat OUTPUT && grep -q smiley OUTPUT'
 
 test_begin_subtest "Search handles subprocess error exit codes"
 cat > notmuch_fail <<EOF
diff --git a/test/T340-maildir-sync.sh b/test/T340-maildir-sync.sh
index b474bf46..6d956635 100755
--- a/test/T340-maildir-sync.sh
+++ b/test/T340-maildir-sync.sh
@@ -52,7 +52,8 @@ test_expect_equal_json "$output" '[[[{"id": "XXXXX",
 "content": "This is just a test message (#3)\n"}]},
 []]]]'
 
-test_expect_success 'notmuch reply works with renamed file (without notmuch new)' 'notmuch reply id:${gen_msg_id}'
+test_begin_subtest "notmuch reply works with renamed file (without notmuch new)"
+test_expect_success 'notmuch reply id:${gen_msg_id}'
 
 test_begin_subtest "notmuch new detects no file rename after tag->flag synchronization"
 output=$(NOTMUCH_NEW)
@@ -123,9 +124,10 @@ output+=$(notmuch search subject:"Message to lose maildir info" | notmuch_search
 test_expect_equal "$output" "No new mail. Detected 1 file rename.
 thread:XXX   2001-01-05 [1/1] Notmuch Test Suite; Message to lose maildir info (inbox)"
 
+test_begin_subtest "Can remove unread tag from message in non-maildir directory"
 add_message [subject]='"Non-maildir message"' [dir]=notmaildir [filename]='non-maildir-message'
 expected=$(notmuch search --output=files subject:"Non-maildir message")
-test_expect_success "Can remove unread tag from message in non-maildir directory" 'notmuch tag -unread subject:"Non-maildir message"'
+test_expect_success 'notmuch tag -unread subject:"Non-maildir message"'
 
 test_begin_subtest "Message in non-maildir directory does not get renamed"
 output=$(notmuch search --output=files subject:"Non-maildir message")
diff --git a/test/T350-crypto.sh b/test/T350-crypto.sh
index b15f4fbe..3cf644df 100755
--- a/test/T350-crypto.sh
+++ b/test/T350-crypto.sh
@@ -28,7 +28,8 @@ add_gnupg_home
 # Change this if we ship a new test key
 FINGERPRINT="5AEAB11F5E33DCE875DDB75B6D92612D94E46381"
 
-test_expect_success 'emacs delivery of signed message' \
+test_begin_subtest "emacs delivery of signed message"
+test_expect_success \
 'emacs_fcc_message \
     "test signed message 001" \
     "This is a test signed message." \
@@ -134,11 +135,12 @@ test_expect_equal_json \
     "$expected"
 mv "${GNUPGHOME}"{.bak,}
 
+test_begin_subtest "emacs delivery of encrypted message with attachment"
 # create a test encrypted message with attachment
 cat <<EOF >TESTATTACHMENT
 This is a test file.
 EOF
-test_expect_success 'emacs delivery of encrypted message with attachment' \
+test_expect_success \
 'emacs_fcc_message \
     "test encrypted message 001" \
     "This is a test encrypted message.\n" \
@@ -264,7 +266,8 @@ test_expect_equal_json \
     "$expected"
 mv "${GNUPGHOME}"{.bak,}
 
-test_expect_success 'emacs delivery of encrypted + signed message' \
+test_begin_subtest "emacs delivery of encrypted + signed message"
+test_expect_success \
 'emacs_fcc_message \
     "test encrypted message 002" \
     "This is another test encrypted message.\n" \
diff --git a/test/T355-smime.sh b/test/T355-smime.sh
index 1efefcbd..639ca697 100755
--- a/test/T355-smime.sh
+++ b/test/T355-smime.sh
@@ -23,14 +23,16 @@ FINGERPRINT=$(openssl x509 -fingerprint -in test_suite.pem -noout | sed -e 's/^.
 
 add_gpgsm_home
 
-test_expect_success 'emacs delivery of S/MIME signed message' \
+test_begin_subtest "emacs delivery of S/MIME signed message"
+test_expect_success \
      'emacs_fcc_message \
      "test signed message 001" \
      "This is a test signed message." \
      "(mml-secure-message-sign \"smime\")"'
 
+test_begin_subtest "emacs delivery of S/MIME encrypted + signed message"
 # Hard code the MML to avoid several interactive questions
-test_expect_success 'emacs delivery of S/MIME encrypted + signed message' \
+test_expect_success \
 'emacs_fcc_message \
     "test encrypted message 001" \
     "<#secure method=smime mode=signencrypt keyfile=\\\"test_suite.pem\\\" certfile=\\\"test_suite.pem\\\">\nThis is a test encrypted message.\n"'
diff --git a/test/T380-atomicity.sh b/test/T380-atomicity.sh
index c6a9fb98..a46a2df2 100755
--- a/test/T380-atomicity.sh
+++ b/test/T380-atomicity.sh
@@ -95,6 +95,7 @@ fi
 test_begin_subtest '"notmuch new" is idempotent under arbitrary aborts'
 test_expect_equal_file searchall expectall
 
-test_expect_success "detected $outcount>10 abort points" "test $outcount -gt 10"
+test_begin_subtest "detected $outcount>10 abort points"
+test_expect_success "test $outcount -gt 10"
 
 test_done
diff --git a/test/T400-hooks.sh b/test/T400-hooks.sh
index ed119131..ae571ba2 100755
--- a/test/T400-hooks.sh
+++ b/test/T400-hooks.sh
@@ -91,11 +91,11 @@ test_expect_equal_file expected output
 # depends on the previous subtest leaving broken hook behind
 test_expect_code 1 "post-new non-zero exit status (notmuch status)" "notmuch new"
 
+test_begin_subtest "post-insert hook does not affect insert status"
 rm_hooks
 generate_message
 create_failing_hook "post-insert"
-test_expect_success "post-insert hook does not affect insert status" \
-    "notmuch insert < \"$gen_msg_filename\" > /dev/null"
+test_expect_success "notmuch insert < \"$gen_msg_filename\" > /dev/null"
 
 # test_begin_subtest "hook without executable permissions"
 rm_hooks
diff --git a/test/T530-upgrade.sh b/test/T530-upgrade.sh
index a3a7d39c..f0fd1511 100755
--- a/test/T530-upgrade.sh
+++ b/test/T530-upgrade.sh
@@ -10,8 +10,8 @@ if [ ! -e ${TEST_DIRECTORY}/test-databases/${dbtarball} ]; then
     test_subtest_missing_external_prereq_["${dbtarball} - fetch with 'make download-test-databases'"]=t
 fi
 
+test_begin_subtest "database checksum"
 test_expect_success \
-    'database checksum' \
     '( cd $TEST_DIRECTORY/test-databases &&
        sha256sum --quiet --check --status ${dbtarball}.sha256 )'
 
@@ -25,7 +25,8 @@ test_begin_subtest "path: search does not work with old database version"
 output=$(notmuch search path:foo)
 test_expect_equal "$output" ""
 
-test_expect_success 'pre upgrade dump' 'notmuch dump | sort > pre-upgrade-dump'
+test_begin_subtest "pre upgrade dump"
+test_expect_success 'notmuch dump | sort > pre-upgrade-dump'
 
 test_begin_subtest "database upgrade from format version 1"
 output=$(notmuch new | sed -e 's/^Backing up tags to .*$/Backing up tags to FILENAME/')
diff --git a/test/T560-lib-error.sh b/test/T560-lib-error.sh
index 087c6bd7..e775216e 100755
--- a/test/T560-lib-error.sh
+++ b/test/T560-lib-error.sh
@@ -5,7 +5,8 @@ test_description="error reporting for library"
 
 add_email_corpus
 
-test_expect_success "building database" "NOTMUCH_NEW"
+test_begin_subtest "building database"
+test_expect_success "NOTMUCH_NEW"
 
 test_begin_subtest "Open null pointer"
 test_C <<'EOF'
diff --git a/test/T570-revision-tracking.sh b/test/T570-revision-tracking.sh
index 0936011a..a63e691c 100755
--- a/test/T570-revision-tracking.sh
+++ b/test/T570-revision-tracking.sh
@@ -49,11 +49,11 @@ test_expect_equal 1 ${result}
 
 notmuch count --lastmod '*' | cut -f2 > UUID
 
-test_expect_success 'search succeeds with correct uuid' \
-		    "notmuch search --uuid=$(cat UUID) '*'"
+test_begin_subtest "search succeeds with correct uuid"
+test_expect_success "notmuch search --uuid=$(cat UUID) '*'"
 
-test_expect_success 'uuid works as global option ' \
-		    "notmuch --uuid=$(cat UUID) search '*'"
+test_begin_subtest "uuid works as global option"
+test_expect_success "notmuch --uuid=$(cat UUID) search '*'"
 
 test_expect_code 1 'uuid works as global option II' \
 		    "notmuch --uuid=this-is-no-uuid search '*'"
@@ -61,14 +61,14 @@ test_expect_code 1 'uuid works as global option II' \
 test_expect_code 1 'search fails with incorrect uuid' \
 		 "notmuch search --uuid=this-is-no-uuid '*'"
 
-test_expect_success 'show succeeds with correct uuid' \
-		    "notmuch show --uuid=$(cat UUID) '*'"
+test_begin_subtest "show succeeds with correct uuid"
+test_expect_success "notmuch show --uuid=$(cat UUID) '*'"
 
 test_expect_code 1 'show fails with incorrect uuid' \
 		 "notmuch show --uuid=this-is-no-uuid '*'"
 
-test_expect_success 'tag succeeds with correct uuid' \
-		    "notmuch tag --uuid=$(cat UUID) +test '*'"
+test_begin_subtest "tag succeeds with correct uuid"
+test_expect_success "notmuch tag --uuid=$(cat UUID) +test '*'"
 
 test_expect_code 1 'tag fails with incorrect uuid' \
 		 "notmuch tag --uuid=this-is-no-uuid '*' +test2"
diff --git a/test/T600-named-queries.sh b/test/T600-named-queries.sh
index f0ae24f1..450da9b0 100755
--- a/test/T600-named-queries.sh
+++ b/test/T600-named-queries.sh
@@ -9,12 +9,12 @@ test_expect_code 1 "error adding named query before initializing DB" \
 
 add_email_corpus
 
-test_expect_success "adding named query" \
-		    "notmuch config set query.test \"$QUERYSTR\""
+test_begin_subtest "adding named query"
+test_expect_success "notmuch config set query.test \"$QUERYSTR\""
 
+test_begin_subtest "adding nested named query"
 QUERYSTR2="query:test and subject:Maildir"
-test_expect_success "adding nested named query" \
-		    "notmuch config set query.test2 \"$QUERYSTR2\""
+test_expect_success "notmuch config set query.test2 \"$QUERYSTR2\""
 
 test_begin_subtest "retrieve named query"
 output=$(notmuch config get query.test)
diff --git a/test/test-lib.sh b/test/test-lib.sh
index f8c6e1e0..b68290c3 100644
--- a/test/test-lib.sh
+++ b/test/test-lib.sh
@@ -916,13 +916,17 @@ test_subtest_known_broken () {
 }
 
 test_expect_success () {
-	test "$#" = 2 ||
-	error "bug in the test script: not 2 parameters to test_expect_success"
-	test_subtest_name="$1"
-	test_reset_state_
-	if ! test_skip "$@"
+	exec 1>&6 2>&7		# Restore stdout and stderr
+	if [ -z "$inside_subtest" ]; then
+		error "bug in the test script: test_expect_success without test_begin_subtest"
+	fi
+	inside_subtest=
+	test "$#" = 1 ||
+	error "bug in the test script: not 1 parameters to test_expect_success"
+
+	if ! test_skip "$test_subtest_name"
 	then
-		test_run_ "$2"
+		test_run_ "$1"
 		run_ret="$?"
 		# test_run_ may update missing external prerequisites
 		test_check_missing_external_prereqs_ "$@" ||
@@ -930,7 +934,7 @@ test_expect_success () {
 		then
 			test_ok_
 		else
-			test_failure_ "$2"
+			test_failure_ "$1"
 		fi
 	fi
 }
diff --git a/test/test-verbose b/test/test-verbose
index 1723ce66..158be28a 100755
--- a/test/test-verbose
+++ b/test/test-verbose
@@ -4,12 +4,14 @@ test_description='the verbosity options of the test framework itself.'
 
 . ./test-lib.sh || exit 1
 
-test_expect_success 'print something in test_expect_success and pass' '
+test_begin_subtest 'print something in test_expect_success and pass'
+test_expect_success '
   echo "hello stdout" &&
   echo "hello stderr" >&2 &&
   true
 '
-test_expect_success 'print something in test_expect_success and fail' '
+test_begin_subtest 'print something in test_expect_success and fail'
+test_expect_success '
   echo "hello stdout" &&
   echo "hello stderr" >&2 &&
   false