diff --git a/tests/specials.nim b/tests/specials.nim
index f5a6545d46..a45ca66c62 100644
--- a/tests/specials.nim
+++ b/tests/specials.nim
@@ -140,10 +140,9 @@ proc rejectThreadTests(r: var TResults, options: string) =
 
 # ------------------------- IO tests -----------------------------------
 
-proc compileIOTests(r: var TResults, options: string) =
-  compileSingleTest(r, "tests/system/helpers/readall_echo.nim", options)
-
 proc runIOTests(r: var TResults, options: string) =
+  # We need readall_echo to be compiled for this test to run.
+  compileSingleTest(r, "tests/system/helpers/readall_echo", options)
   runSingleTest(r, "tests/system/io", options)
 
 # ------------------------- register special tests here -----------------------
@@ -163,6 +162,5 @@ proc compileSpecialTests(r: var TResults, options: string) =
   compileSingleTest(r, "compiler/c2nim/c2nim.nim", options)
   compileSingleTest(r, "compiler/pas2nim/pas2nim.nim", options)
 
-  compileIOTests(r, options)
   compileDLLTests(r, options)
 
diff --git a/tests/system/helpers/readall_echo.nim b/tests/system/helpers/readall_echo.nim
index 2890217efb..79937bf6fa 100644
--- a/tests/system/helpers/readall_echo.nim
+++ b/tests/system/helpers/readall_echo.nim
@@ -1 +1,2 @@
-echo(stdin.readAll)
+when isMainModule:
+  echo(stdin.readAll)
diff --git a/tests/system/io.nim b/tests/system/io.nim
index cc5f070807..8491840743 100644
--- a/tests/system/io.nim
+++ b/tests/system/io.nim
@@ -1,11 +1,10 @@
 discard """output: '''[OK] stdin
 
 [OK] file'''
-disabled: true
 """
 
 import
-  unittest, osproc, streams, os, "helpers/readall_echo"
+  unittest, osproc, streams, os
 const STRING_DATA = """Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consetetur sadipscing elitr, sed diam nonumy eirmod tempor invidunt ut labore et dolore magna aliquyam erat, sed diam voluptua. At vero eos et accusam et justo duo dolores et ea rebum. Stet clita kasd gubergren, no sea takimata sanctus est Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet. Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consetetur sadipscing elitr, sed diam nonumy eirmod tempor invidunt ut labore et dolore magna aliquyam erat, sed diam voluptua. At vero eos et accusam et justo duo dolores et ea rebum. Stet clita kasd gubergren, no sea takimata sanctus est Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet."""
 const TEST_FILE = "tests/testdata/string"