diff --git a/test/_prep.py b/test/_prep.py
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..bfbe7b8
--- /dev/null
+++ b/test/_prep.py
@@ -0,0 +1,16 @@
+import sys, os
+
+script_dir = sys.path[0]
+top_dir = os.path.join(script_dir, '..')
+src_dir = os.path.join(top_dir, 'src')
+
+# to find the osmo_gsm_tester py module
+sys.path.append(src_dir)
+
+from osmo_gsm_tester import log
+
+log.targets = [ log.TestsTarget() ]
+
+if '-v' in sys.argv:
+    log.style_change(trace=True)
+