diff --git a/tests/config.nims b/tests/config.nims
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..5d9841fc22
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/config.nims
@@ -0,0 +1,6 @@
+switch("path", "$nim/testament/lib") # so we can `import stdtest/foo` in this dir
+
+## prevent common user config settings to interfere with testament expectations
+## Indifidual tests can override this if needed to test for these options.
+switch("colors", "off")
+switch("listFullPaths", "off")
diff --git a/tests/nim.cfg b/tests/nim.cfg
deleted file mode 100644
index 577baaacda..0000000000
--- a/tests/nim.cfg
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1 +0,0 @@
---path:"../testament/lib" # so we can `import stdtest/foo` in this dir