diff --git a/examples/gno.land/p/demo/tests/subtests/subtests_test.gno b/examples/gno.land/p/demo/tests/subtests/subtests_test.gno
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..e3ea2c600c4
--- /dev/null
+++ b/examples/gno.land/p/demo/tests/subtests/subtests_test.gno
@@ -0,0 +1,5 @@
+package subtests_test
+
+func TestPrivate(t *testing.T) {
+	println("hello from private test")
+}
diff --git a/gnovm/cmd/gno/test.go b/gnovm/cmd/gno/test.go
index f2292f80747..fd9271ca22c 100644
--- a/gnovm/cmd/gno/test.go
+++ b/gnovm/cmd/gno/test.go
@@ -241,11 +241,9 @@ func gnoTestPkg(
 		stdin  = io.In
 		stdout = io.Out
 		stderr = io.Err
+		errs   error
 	)
 
-	filter := splitRegexp(runFlag)
-	var errs error
-
 	mode := tests.ImportModeStdlibsOnly
 	if cfg.withNativeFallback {
 		// XXX: display a warn?
@@ -310,6 +308,7 @@ func gnoTestPkg(
 		for _, testFile := range filetestFiles {
 			testFileName := filepath.Base(testFile)
 			testName := "file/" + testFileName
+			filter := splitRegexp(runFlag)
 			if !shouldRun(filter, testName) {
 				continue
 			}
diff --git a/gnovm/stdlibs/testing/match.gno b/gnovm/stdlibs/testing/match.gno
index 5b7f509d8f6..13a7edd4f27 100644
--- a/gnovm/stdlibs/testing/match.gno
+++ b/gnovm/stdlibs/testing/match.gno
@@ -166,13 +166,13 @@ func isSpace(r rune) bool {
 	return false
 }
 
-var (
-	matchPat string
-	matchRe  *regexp.Regexp
-)
-
 // based on testing/internal/testdeps.TestDeps.MatchString.
 func matchString(pat, str string) (result bool, err error) {
+	var (
+		matchPat string
+		matchRe  *regexp.Regexp
+	)
+
 	if matchRe == nil || matchPat != pat {
 		matchPat = pat
 		matchRe, err = regexp.Compile(matchPat)