diff --git a/cmd/tools/modules/testing/common.v b/cmd/tools/modules/testing/common.v
index 0cd10213a0..f9eae90eff 100644
--- a/cmd/tools/modules/testing/common.v
+++ b/cmd/tools/modules/testing/common.v
@@ -69,7 +69,7 @@ pub fn (mut ts TestSession) test() {
 	//
 	ts.init()
 	mut remaining_files := []string{}
-	vtest_only := os.getenv('VTEST_ONLY')
+	vtest_only := os.getenv('VTEST_ONLY').split(',')
 	for dot_relative_file in ts.files {
 		relative_file := dot_relative_file.replace('./', '')
 		file := os.real_path(relative_file)
@@ -94,7 +94,14 @@ pub fn (mut ts TestSession) test() {
 			}
 		}
 		if vtest_only.len > 0 {
-			if !file.contains(vtest_only) {
+			mut found := 0
+			for substring in vtest_only {
+				if file.contains(substring) {
+					found++
+					break
+				}
+			}
+			if found == 0 {
 				continue
 			}
 		}
diff --git a/vlib/v/compiler_errors_test.v b/vlib/v/compiler_errors_test.v
index 28fddf2e1f..7a73b85b61 100644
--- a/vlib/v/compiler_errors_test.v
+++ b/vlib/v/compiler_errors_test.v
@@ -33,13 +33,20 @@ fn get_tests_in_dir(dir string) []string {
 }
 
 fn check_path(vexe, dir, voptions, result_extension string, tests []string) int {
-	vtest_only := os.getenv('VTEST_ONLY')
+	vtest_only := os.getenv('VTEST_ONLY').split(',')
 	mut nb_fail := 0
 	mut paths := []string{}
 	for test in tests {
 		path := os.join_path(dir, test).replace('\\', '/')
 		if vtest_only.len > 0 {
-			if !path.contains(vtest_only) {
+			mut found := 0
+			for substring in vtest_only {
+				if path.contains(substring) {
+					found++
+					break
+				}
+			}
+			if found == 0 {
 				continue
 			}
 		}
diff --git a/vlib/v/tests/inout/compiler_test.v b/vlib/v/tests/inout/compiler_test.v
index a84d7b3d90..946de75bec 100644
--- a/vlib/v/tests/inout/compiler_test.v
+++ b/vlib/v/tests/inout/compiler_test.v
@@ -16,8 +16,25 @@ fn test_all() {
 		println('no compiler tests found')
 		assert false
 	}
+	vtest_only := os.getenv('VTEST_ONLY').split(',')
+	mut paths := []string{}
 	for test in tests {
 		path := os.join_path(dir, test).replace('\\', '/')
+		if vtest_only.len > 0 {
+			mut found := 0
+			for substring in vtest_only {
+				if path.contains(substring) {
+					found++
+					break
+				}
+			}
+			if found == 0 {
+				continue
+			}
+		}
+		paths << path
+	}
+	for path in paths {
 		print(path + ' ')
 		program := path.replace('.vv', '.v')
 		os.cp(path, program) or {