diff --git a/src/main.cc b/src/main.cc
index 21be68d44..7b1f62f98 100644
--- a/src/main.cc
+++ b/src/main.cc
@@ -370,7 +370,7 @@ int run_server(StringView session, StringView init_command,
     FaceRegistry        face_registry;
     ClientManager       client_manager;
 
-    run_unit_tests();
+    UnitTest::run_all_tests();
 
     register_options();
     register_env_vars();
diff --git a/src/unit_tests.cc b/src/unit_tests.cc
index 5faf91a65..68518b518 100644
--- a/src/unit_tests.cc
+++ b/src/unit_tests.cc
@@ -42,11 +42,11 @@ UnitTest test_diff{[]()
     }
 }};
 
-UnitTest* unit_tests;
+UnitTest* UnitTest::list = nullptr;
 
-void run_unit_tests()
+void UnitTest::run_all_tests()
 {
-    for (const UnitTest* test = unit_tests; test; test = test->next)
+    for (const UnitTest* test = UnitTest::list; test; test = test->next)
         test->func();
 }
 
diff --git a/src/unit_tests.hh b/src/unit_tests.hh
index 1985a5935..161626945 100644
--- a/src/unit_tests.hh
+++ b/src/unit_tests.hh
@@ -4,17 +4,15 @@
 namespace Kakoune
 {
 
-struct UnitTest;
-extern UnitTest* unit_tests;
-
 struct UnitTest
 {
-    UnitTest(void (*func)()) : func(func), next(unit_tests) { unit_tests = this; }
+    UnitTest(void (*func)()) : func(func), next(list) { list = this; }
     void (*func)();
     const UnitTest* next;
-};
 
-void run_unit_tests();
+    static void run_all_tests();
+    static UnitTest* list;
+};
 
 }