diff --git a/test/fixtures/test-runner/index.test.js b/test/fixtures/test-runner/combined-stream-output/index.test.js
similarity index 100%
rename from test/fixtures/test-runner/index.test.js
rename to test/fixtures/test-runner/combined-stream-output/index.test.js
diff --git a/test/fixtures/test-runner/combined-stream-output/invalid-tap.js b/test/fixtures/test-runner/combined-stream-output/invalid-tap.js
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000000..d43fb8ad5cb374
--- /dev/null
+++ b/test/fixtures/test-runner/combined-stream-output/invalid-tap.js
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+console.log('invalid tap output');
diff --git a/test/fixtures/test-runner/nested.js b/test/fixtures/test-runner/combined-stream-output/nested.js
similarity index 100%
rename from test/fixtures/test-runner/nested.js
rename to test/fixtures/test-runner/combined-stream-output/nested.js
diff --git a/test/fixtures/test-runner/test/random.cjs b/test/fixtures/test-runner/default-behavior/index.test.js
similarity index 100%
rename from test/fixtures/test-runner/test/random.cjs
rename to test/fixtures/test-runner/default-behavior/index.test.js
diff --git a/test/fixtures/test-runner/default-behavior/node_modules/test-nm.js b/test/fixtures/test-runner/default-behavior/node_modules/test-nm.js
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000000..30024eab1f17e4
--- /dev/null
+++ b/test/fixtures/test-runner/default-behavior/node_modules/test-nm.js
@@ -0,0 +1,2 @@
+'use strict';
+throw new Error('thrown from node_modules');
diff --git a/test/fixtures/test-runner/default-behavior/random.test.mjs b/test/fixtures/test-runner/default-behavior/random.test.mjs
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000000..a87a671d006ab6
--- /dev/null
+++ b/test/fixtures/test-runner/default-behavior/random.test.mjs
@@ -0,0 +1,5 @@
+import test from 'node:test';
+
+test('this should fail', () => {
+  throw new Error('this is a failing test');
+});
diff --git a/test/fixtures/test-runner/default-behavior/subdir/subdir_test.js b/test/fixtures/test-runner/default-behavior/subdir/subdir_test.js
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000000..e69de29bb2d1d6
diff --git a/test/fixtures/test-runner/default-behavior/test/random.cjs b/test/fixtures/test-runner/default-behavior/test/random.cjs
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000000..2a722c504b9fa5
--- /dev/null
+++ b/test/fixtures/test-runner/default-behavior/test/random.cjs
@@ -0,0 +1,4 @@
+'use strict';
+const test = require('node:test');
+
+test('this should pass');
diff --git a/test/fixtures/test-runner/test/skip_by_name.cjs b/test/fixtures/test-runner/default-behavior/test/skip_by_name.cjs
similarity index 100%
rename from test/fixtures/test-runner/test/skip_by_name.cjs
rename to test/fixtures/test-runner/default-behavior/test/skip_by_name.cjs
diff --git a/test/fixtures/test-runner/index.js b/test/fixtures/test-runner/index.js
deleted file mode 100644
index fcf4b4d8eaa0ad..00000000000000
--- a/test/fixtures/test-runner/index.js
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,2 +0,0 @@
-'use strict';
-throw new Error('thrown from index.js');
diff --git a/test/fixtures/test-runner/specific-test-files/failure.test.mjs b/test/fixtures/test-runner/specific-test-files/failure.test.mjs
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000000..a87a671d006ab6
--- /dev/null
+++ b/test/fixtures/test-runner/specific-test-files/failure.test.mjs
@@ -0,0 +1,5 @@
+import test from 'node:test';
+
+test('this should fail', () => {
+  throw new Error('this is a failing test');
+});
diff --git a/test/fixtures/test-runner/specific-test-files/skip_by_name.cjs b/test/fixtures/test-runner/specific-test-files/skip_by_name.cjs
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000000..14856df43e50f5
--- /dev/null
+++ b/test/fixtures/test-runner/specific-test-files/skip_by_name.cjs
@@ -0,0 +1,5 @@
+'use strict';
+const test = require('node:test');
+
+test('this should be skipped');
+test('this should be executed');
diff --git a/test/fixtures/test-runner/specific-test-files/success.cjs b/test/fixtures/test-runner/specific-test-files/success.cjs
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000000..2a722c504b9fa5
--- /dev/null
+++ b/test/fixtures/test-runner/specific-test-files/success.cjs
@@ -0,0 +1,4 @@
+'use strict';
+const test = require('node:test');
+
+test('this should pass');
diff --git a/test/fixtures/test-runner/specific-test-files/success.test.cjs b/test/fixtures/test-runner/specific-test-files/success.test.cjs
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000000..2a722c504b9fa5
--- /dev/null
+++ b/test/fixtures/test-runner/specific-test-files/success.test.cjs
@@ -0,0 +1,4 @@
+'use strict';
+const test = require('node:test');
+
+test('this should pass');
diff --git a/test/fixtures/test-runner/specific-test-files/throwing.js b/test/fixtures/test-runner/specific-test-files/throwing.js
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000000..313259039afa34
--- /dev/null
+++ b/test/fixtures/test-runner/specific-test-files/throwing.js
@@ -0,0 +1,2 @@
+'use strict';
+throw new Error('thrown from throwing.js');
diff --git a/test/parallel/test-runner-cli.js b/test/parallel/test-runner-cli.js
index c7fb6a0276aeb8..bb483f7d0b9698 100644
--- a/test/parallel/test-runner-cli.js
+++ b/test/parallel/test-runner-cli.js
@@ -22,7 +22,7 @@ const testFixtures = fixtures.path('test-runner');
   // Default behavior. node_modules is ignored. Files that don't match the
   // pattern are ignored except in test/ directories.
   const args = ['--test'];
-  const child = spawnSync(process.execPath, args, { cwd: testFixtures });
+  const child = spawnSync(process.execPath, args, { cwd: join(testFixtures, 'default-behavior') });
 
   assert.strictEqual(child.status, 1);
   assert.strictEqual(child.signal, null);
@@ -39,7 +39,7 @@ const testFixtures = fixtures.path('test-runner');
 {
   // Same but with a prototype mutation in require scripts.
   const args = ['--require', join(testFixtures, 'protoMutation.js'), '--test'];
-  const child = spawnSync(process.execPath, args, { cwd: testFixtures });
+  const child = spawnSync(process.execPath, args, { cwd: join(testFixtures, 'default-behavior') });
 
   const stdout = child.stdout.toString();
   assert.match(stdout, /ok 1 - this should pass/);
@@ -55,14 +55,14 @@ const testFixtures = fixtures.path('test-runner');
 
 {
   // User specified files that don't match the pattern are still run.
-  const args = ['--test', join(testFixtures, 'index.js')];
+  const args = ['--test', join(testFixtures, 'specific-test-files/throwing.js')];
   const child = spawnSync(process.execPath, args, { cwd: testFixtures });
 
   assert.strictEqual(child.status, 1);
   assert.strictEqual(child.signal, null);
   assert.strictEqual(child.stderr.toString(), '');
   const stdout = child.stdout.toString();
-  assert.match(stdout, /not ok 1 - .+index\.js/);
+  assert.match(stdout, /not ok 1 - .+throwing\.js/);
 }
 
 {
@@ -80,7 +80,7 @@ const testFixtures = fixtures.path('test-runner');
 {
   // The current directory is used by default.
   const args = ['--test'];
-  const options = { cwd: testFixtures };
+  const options = { cwd: join(testFixtures, 'default-behavior') };
   const child = spawnSync(process.execPath, args, options);
 
   assert.strictEqual(child.status, 1);
@@ -119,9 +119,9 @@ const testFixtures = fixtures.path('test-runner');
   // Test combined stream outputs
   const args = [
     '--test',
-    'test/fixtures/test-runner/index.test.js',
-    'test/fixtures/test-runner/nested.js',
-    'test/fixtures/test-runner/invalid-tap.js',
+    'test/fixtures/test-runner/combined-stream-output/index.test.js',
+    'test/fixtures/test-runner/combined-stream-output/nested.js',
+    'test/fixtures/test-runner/combined-stream-output/invalid-tap.js',
   ];
   const child = spawnSync(process.execPath, args);
 
@@ -197,7 +197,7 @@ const testFixtures = fixtures.path('test-runner');
   const args = ['--no-warnings',
                 '--experimental-loader', 'data:text/javascript,',
                 '--require', fixtures.path('empty.js'),
-                '--test', join(testFixtures, 'index.test.js')];
+                '--test', join(testFixtures, 'specific-test-files/success.cjs')];
   const child = spawnSync(process.execPath, args);
 
   assert.strictEqual(child.stderr.toString(), '');
@@ -209,7 +209,7 @@ const testFixtures = fixtures.path('test-runner');
 
 {
   // --test-shard option validation
-  const args = ['--test', '--test-shard=1', join(testFixtures, 'index.js')];
+  const args = ['--test', '--test-shard=1', join(testFixtures, 'specific-test-files/success.cjs')];
   const child = spawnSync(process.execPath, args, { cwd: testFixtures });
 
   assert.strictEqual(child.status, 1);
@@ -221,7 +221,7 @@ const testFixtures = fixtures.path('test-runner');
 
 {
   // --test-shard option validation
-  const args = ['--test', '--test-shard=1/2/3', join(testFixtures, 'index.js')];
+  const args = ['--test', '--test-shard=1/2/3', join(testFixtures, 'specific-test-files/success.cjs')];
   const child = spawnSync(process.execPath, args, { cwd: testFixtures });
 
   assert.strictEqual(child.status, 1);
@@ -233,7 +233,7 @@ const testFixtures = fixtures.path('test-runner');
 
 {
   // --test-shard option validation
-  const args = ['--test', '--test-shard=0/3', join(testFixtures, 'index.js')];
+  const args = ['--test', '--test-shard=0/3', join(testFixtures, 'specific-test-files/success.cjs')];
   const child = spawnSync(process.execPath, args, { cwd: testFixtures });
 
   assert.strictEqual(child.status, 1);
@@ -245,7 +245,7 @@ const testFixtures = fixtures.path('test-runner');
 
 {
   // --test-shard option validation
-  const args = ['--test', '--test-shard=0xf/20abcd', join(testFixtures, 'index.js')];
+  const args = ['--test', '--test-shard=0xf/20abcd', join(testFixtures, 'specific-test-files/success.cjs')];
   const child = spawnSync(process.execPath, args, { cwd: testFixtures });
 
   assert.strictEqual(child.status, 1);
@@ -257,7 +257,7 @@ const testFixtures = fixtures.path('test-runner');
 
 {
   // --test-shard option validation
-  const args = ['--test', '--test-shard=hello', join(testFixtures, 'index.js')];
+  const args = ['--test', '--test-shard=hello', join(testFixtures, 'specific-test-files/success.cjs')];
   const child = spawnSync(process.execPath, args, { cwd: testFixtures });
 
   assert.strictEqual(child.status, 1);
diff --git a/test/parallel/test-runner-inspect.mjs b/test/parallel/test-runner-inspect.mjs
index bdff1ce7ceb84f..f8c915d1f42699 100644
--- a/test/parallel/test-runner-inspect.mjs
+++ b/test/parallel/test-runner-inspect.mjs
@@ -11,7 +11,11 @@ common.skipIfInspectorDisabled();
 tmpdir.refresh();
 
 {
-  const child = new NodeInstance(['--test', '--inspect-brk=0'], undefined, fixtures.path('test-runner/index.test.js'));
+  const child = new NodeInstance(
+    ['--test', '--inspect-brk=0'],
+    undefined,
+    fixtures.path('test-runner/specific-test-files/success.test.cjs')
+  );
 
   let stdout = '';
   let stderr = '';
@@ -31,12 +35,12 @@ tmpdir.refresh();
 
 
 {
-  const args = ['--test', '--inspect=0', fixtures.path('test-runner/index.js')];
+  const args = ['--test', '--inspect=0', fixtures.path('test-runner/specific-test-files/throwing.js')];
   const { stderr, stdout, code, signal } = await common.spawnPromisified(process.execPath, args);
 
   assert.match(stderr,
                /Warning: Using the inspector with --test forces running at a concurrency of 1\. Use the inspectPort option to run with concurrency/);
-  assert.match(stdout, /not ok 1 - .+index\.js/);
+  assert.match(stdout, /not ok 1 - .+throwing\.js/);
   assert.strictEqual(code, 1);
   assert.strictEqual(signal, null);
 }
diff --git a/test/parallel/test-runner-run.mjs b/test/parallel/test-runner-run.mjs
index b5c41b8ae925de..5c65249b8ca525 100644
--- a/test/parallel/test-runner-run.mjs
+++ b/test/parallel/test-runner-run.mjs
@@ -26,7 +26,7 @@ describe('require(\'node:test\').run', { concurrency: true }, () => {
   });
 
   it('should succeed with a file', async () => {
-    const stream = run({ files: [join(testFixtures, 'test/random.cjs')] });
+    const stream = run({ files: [join(testFixtures, 'specific-test-files', 'success.cjs')] });
     stream.on('test:fail', common.mustNotCall());
     stream.on('test:pass', common.mustCall(1));
     // eslint-disable-next-line no-unused-vars
@@ -34,7 +34,8 @@ describe('require(\'node:test\').run', { concurrency: true }, () => {
   });
 
   it('should run same file twice', async () => {
-    const stream = run({ files: [join(testFixtures, 'test/random.cjs'), join(testFixtures, 'test/random.cjs')] });
+    const testFile = join(testFixtures, 'specific-test-files', 'success.cjs');
+    const stream = run({ files: [testFile, testFile] });
     stream.on('test:fail', common.mustNotCall());
     stream.on('test:pass', common.mustCall(2));
     // eslint-disable-next-line no-unused-vars
@@ -68,7 +69,7 @@ describe('require(\'node:test\').run', { concurrency: true }, () => {
   });
 
   it('should be piped with dot', async () => {
-    const result = await run({ files: [join(testFixtures, 'test/random.cjs')] }).compose(dot).toArray();
+    const result = await run({ files: [join(testFixtures, 'specific-test-files/success.cjs')] }).compose(dot).toArray();
     assert.deepStrictEqual(result, [
       '.',
       '\n',
@@ -77,7 +78,9 @@ describe('require(\'node:test\').run', { concurrency: true }, () => {
 
   it('should be piped with spec', async () => {
     const specReporter = new spec();
-    const result = await run({ files: [join(testFixtures, 'test/random.cjs')] }).compose(specReporter).toArray();
+    const result = await run({
+      files: [join(testFixtures, 'specific-test-files/success.cjs')]
+    }).compose(specReporter).toArray();
     const stringResults = result.map((bfr) => bfr.toString());
     assert.match(stringResults[0], /this should pass/);
     assert.match(stringResults[1], /tests 1/);
@@ -85,7 +88,7 @@ describe('require(\'node:test\').run', { concurrency: true }, () => {
   });
 
   it('should be piped with tap', async () => {
-    const result = await run({ files: [join(testFixtures, 'test/random.cjs')] }).compose(tap).toArray();
+    const result = await run({ files: [join(testFixtures, 'specific-test-files/success.cjs')] }).compose(tap).toArray();
     assert.strictEqual(result.length, 13);
     assert.strictEqual(result[0], 'TAP version 13\n');
     assert.strictEqual(result[1], '# Subtest: this should pass\n');
@@ -103,7 +106,7 @@ describe('require(\'node:test\').run', { concurrency: true }, () => {
   });
 
   it('should skip tests not matching testNamePatterns - RegExp', async () => {
-    const result = await run({ files: [join(testFixtures, 'test/skip_by_name.cjs')], testNamePatterns: [/executed/] })
+    const result = await run({ files: [join(testFixtures, 'specific-test-files/skip_by_name.cjs')], testNamePatterns: [/executed/] })
       .compose(tap)
       .toArray();
     assert.strictEqual(result[2], 'ok 1 - this should be skipped # SKIP test name does not match pattern\n');
@@ -111,7 +114,10 @@ describe('require(\'node:test\').run', { concurrency: true }, () => {
   });
 
   it('should skip tests not matching testNamePatterns - string', async () => {
-    const result = await run({ files: [join(testFixtures, 'test/skip_by_name.cjs')], testNamePatterns: ['executed'] })
+    const result = await run({
+      files: [join(testFixtures, 'specific-test-files/skip_by_name.cjs')],
+      testNamePatterns: ['executed']
+    })
       .compose(tap)
       .toArray();
     assert.strictEqual(result[2], 'ok 1 - this should be skipped # SKIP test name does not match pattern\n');
@@ -120,7 +126,11 @@ describe('require(\'node:test\').run', { concurrency: true }, () => {
 
   it('should stop watch mode when abortSignal aborts', async () => {
     const controller = new AbortController();
-    const result = await run({ files: [join(testFixtures, 'test/random.cjs')], watch: true, signal: controller.signal })
+    const result = await run({
+      files: [join(testFixtures, 'specific-test-files/success.cjs')],
+      watch: true,
+      signal: controller.signal
+    })
       .compose(async function* (source) {
         for await (const chunk of source) {
           if (chunk.type === 'test:pass') {
@@ -135,7 +145,11 @@ describe('require(\'node:test\').run', { concurrency: true }, () => {
 
   it('should emit "test:watch:drained" event on watch mode', async () => {
     const controller = new AbortController();
-    await run({ files: [join(testFixtures, 'test/random.cjs')], watch: true, signal: controller.signal })
+    await run({
+      files: [join(testFixtures, 'specific-test-files/success.cjs')],
+      watch: true,
+      signal: controller.signal
+    })
       .on('data', function({ type }) {
         if (type === 'test:watch:drained') {
           controller.abort();