diff --git a/tools/make.py b/tools/make.py
index 431384168a..b19321923a 100644
--- a/tools/make.py
+++ b/tools/make.py
@@ -38,29 +38,13 @@ from tools.paths import FS_LIBRARY
 from tools.paths import UBLOX_LIBRARY
 from tools.tests import TESTS, Test, TEST_MAP
 from tools.tests import TEST_MBED_LIB
+from tools.tests import test_known, test_name_known
 from tools.targets import TARGET_MAP
 from tools.options import get_default_options_parser
 from tools.build_api import build_project
 from tools.build_api import mcu_toolchain_matrix
 from utils import argparse_filestring_type
 from argparse import ArgumentTypeError
-try:
-    import tools.private_settings as ps
-except:
-    ps = object()
-
-def test_known(string):
-    i = int(string)
-    if i >= 0 and i < len(TESTS) : return i
-    else : raise ArgumentTypeError("{0} does not index a test".format(i))
-
-def test_name_known(string):
-    nlist = string.split(',')
-    for test_id in nlist:
-        if test_id not in TEST_MAP.keys():
-            raise ArgumentTypeError("Program with name '%s' not found"% test_id)
-
-    return [TEST_MAP[n].n for n in nlist]
 
 if __name__ == '__main__':
     # Parse Options
diff --git a/tools/tests.py b/tools/tests.py
index 1b70f61e03..415fc14029 100644
--- a/tools/tests.py
+++ b/tools/tests.py
@@ -16,6 +16,12 @@ limitations under the License.
 """
 from tools.paths import *
 from tools.data.support import *
+from argparse import ArgumentTypeError
+
+try:
+    import tools.private_settings as ps
+except:
+    ps = object()
 
 TEST_CMSIS_LIB = join(TEST_DIR, "cmsis", "lib")
 TEST_MBED_LIB = join(TEST_DIR, "mbed", "env")
@@ -1212,3 +1218,19 @@ class Test:
             return None
 
 TEST_MAP = dict([(test['id'], Test(i)) for i, test in enumerate(TESTS)])
+
+# parser helpers
+def test_known(string):
+    i = int(string)
+    if i >= 0 and i < len(TESTS) : return i
+    else : raise ArgumentTypeError("{0} does not index a test".format(i))
+
+def test_name_known(string):
+    nlist = string.split(',')
+    for test_id in nlist:
+        if test_id not in TEST_MAP.keys():
+            if getattr(ps, "test_alias", None) is None or \
+               ps.test_alias.get(test_id, "") not in TEST_MAP.keys():
+                raise ArgumentTypeError("Program with name '%s' not found"% test_id)
+
+    return [TEST_MAP[n].n for n in nlist]