diff --git a/test/common.sh b/test/common.sh
index f5bf6ffbf6..47afa3fb12 100644
--- a/test/common.sh
+++ b/test/common.sh
@@ -245,3 +245,8 @@ _json_parse() {
 nvm_json_extract() {
   nvm_json_tokenize | _json_parse | grep -e "${1}" | awk '{print $2 $3}'
 }
+
+# ensures that commands are run as if in a terminal
+run_in_terminal() {
+  script -q -a /dev/null sh -c "\. ../nvm.sh ; $*"
+}
diff --git "a/test/fast/Aliases/Running 'nvm alias \313\202aliasname\313\203 \313\202target\313\203' again should change the target" "b/test/fast/Aliases/Running 'nvm alias \313\202aliasname\313\203 \313\202target\313\203' again should change the target"
index f366bebd34..de1a06e461 100755
--- "a/test/fast/Aliases/Running 'nvm alias \313\202aliasname\313\203 \313\202target\313\203' again should change the target"	
+++ "b/test/fast/Aliases/Running 'nvm alias \313\202aliasname\313\203 \313\202target\313\203' again should change the target"	
@@ -5,20 +5,20 @@
 
 die () { echo "$@" ; exit 1; }
 
-if [ -n "$ZSH_VERSION" ]; then
+if [ -n "${ZSH_VERSION}" ]; then
   # set clobber option in order to test that this does not produce any
   # incompatibilities
   setopt noclobber
 fi
 
-nvm alias test-stable-1 0.0.2 || die '`nvm alias test-stable-1 0.0.2` failed'
+nvm alias test-stable-1 0.0.2 || die "\`nvm alias test-stable-1 0.0.2\` failed"
 
-OUTPUT="$(nvm alias test-stable-1 | strip_colors)"
+OUTPUT="$(run_in_terminal nvm alias test-stable-1 | strip_colors)"
 EXPECTED_OUTPUT='test-stable-1 -> 0.0.2 (-> v0.0.2)'
-echo "$OUTPUT" | \grep -F "$EXPECTED_OUTPUT" || die "nvm alias test-stable-1 0.0.2 did not set test-stable-1 to 0.0.2: got '$OUTPUT'"
+echo "${OUTPUT}" | \grep -F "${EXPECTED_OUTPUT}" || die "nvm alias test-stable-1 0.0.2 did not set test-stable-1 to 0.0.2: got '${OUTPUT}'"
 
-nvm alias test-stable-1 0.0.1 || die '`nvm alias test-stable-1 0.0.1` failed'
+nvm alias test-stable-1 0.0.1 || die "\`nvm alias test-stable-1 0.0.1\` failed"
 
-OUTPUT="$(nvm alias test-stable-1 | strip_colors)"
+OUTPUT="$(run_in_terminal nvm alias test-stable-1 | strip_colors)"
 EXPECTED_OUTPUT='test-stable-1 -> 0.0.1 (-> v0.0.1)'
-echo "$OUTPUT" | \grep -F "$EXPECTED_OUTPUT" || die "nvm alias test-stable-1 0.0.1 did not set test-stable-1 to 0.0.1: got '$OUTPUT'"
+echo "$OUTPUT" | \grep -F "${EXPECTED_OUTPUT}" || die "nvm alias test-stable-1 0.0.1 did not set test-stable-1 to 0.0.1: got '${OUTPUT}'"
diff --git a/test/fast/Aliases/Running 'nvm alias' lists implicit aliases when they do not exist b/test/fast/Aliases/Running 'nvm alias' lists implicit aliases when they do not exist
index 24a341c7ef..30ed498d51 100755
--- a/test/fast/Aliases/Running 'nvm alias' lists implicit aliases when they do not exist	
+++ b/test/fast/Aliases/Running 'nvm alias' lists implicit aliases when they do not exist	
@@ -5,7 +5,7 @@
 
 die () { echo "$@" ; exit 1; }
 
-NVM_ALIAS_OUTPUT=$(nvm alias | strip_colors)
+NVM_ALIAS_OUTPUT=$(run_in_terminal nvm alias | strip_colors)
 
 EXPECTED_STABLE="$(nvm_print_implicit_alias local stable)"
 STABLE_VERSION="$(nvm_version "$EXPECTED_STABLE")"
diff --git a/test/fast/Aliases/Running 'nvm alias' lists manual aliases instead of implicit aliases when present b/test/fast/Aliases/Running 'nvm alias' lists manual aliases instead of implicit aliases when present
index 1857f44cb5..eb35385e29 100755
--- a/test/fast/Aliases/Running 'nvm alias' lists manual aliases instead of implicit aliases when present	
+++ b/test/fast/Aliases/Running 'nvm alias' lists manual aliases instead of implicit aliases when present	
@@ -19,31 +19,31 @@ make_fake_node v0.9.1
 make_fake_iojs v0.2.1
 
 EXPECTED_STABLE="$(nvm_print_implicit_alias local stable)"
-STABLE_VERSION="$(nvm_version "$EXPECTED_STABLE")"
+STABLE_VERSION="$(nvm_version "${EXPECTED_STABLE}")"
 
 EXPECTED_UNSTABLE="$(nvm_print_implicit_alias local unstable)"
-UNSTABLE_VERSION="$(nvm_version "$EXPECTED_UNSTABLE")"
+UNSTABLE_VERSION="$(nvm_version "${EXPECTED_UNSTABLE}")"
 
-[ "_$STABLE_VERSION" != "_$UNSTABLE_VERSION" ] \
+[ "_${STABLE_VERSION}" != "_${UNSTABLE_VERSION}" ] \
   || die "stable and unstable versions are the same!"
 
-nvm alias stable "$EXPECTED_UNSTABLE"
-nvm alias unstable "$EXPECTED_STABLE"
+nvm alias stable "${EXPECTED_UNSTABLE}"
+nvm alias unstable "${EXPECTED_STABLE}"
 nvm alias node stable
 nvm alias iojs unstable
 
-NVM_ALIAS_OUTPUT=$(nvm alias | strip_colors)
+NVM_ALIAS_OUTPUT=$(run_in_terminal nvm alias | strip_colors)
 
-echo "$NVM_ALIAS_OUTPUT" | command grep -F "stable -> $EXPECTED_UNSTABLE (-> $UNSTABLE_VERSION)" \
-  || die "nvm alias did not contain the overridden 'stable' alias; got '$NVM_ALIAS_OUTPUT'"
+echo "${NVM_ALIAS_OUTPUT}" | command grep -F "stable -> ${EXPECTED_UNSTABLE} (-> ${UNSTABLE_VERSION})" \
+  || die "nvm alias did not contain the overridden 'stable' alias; got '${NVM_ALIAS_OUTPUT}'"
 
-echo "$NVM_ALIAS_OUTPUT" | command grep -F "unstable -> $EXPECTED_STABLE (-> $STABLE_VERSION)" \
-  || die "nvm alias did not contain the overridden 'unstable' alias; got '$NVM_ALIAS_OUTPUT'"
+echo "${NVM_ALIAS_OUTPUT}" | command grep -F "unstable -> ${EXPECTED_STABLE} (-> ${STABLE_VERSION})" \
+  || die "nvm alias did not contain the overridden 'unstable' alias; got '${NVM_ALIAS_OUTPUT}'"
 
-echo "$NVM_ALIAS_OUTPUT" | command grep -F "node -> stable (-> $UNSTABLE_VERSION)" \
-  || die "nvm alias did not contain the overridden 'node' alias; got '$NVM_ALIAS_OUTPUT'"
+echo "${NVM_ALIAS_OUTPUT}" | command grep -F "node -> stable (-> ${UNSTABLE_VERSION})" \
+  || die "nvm alias did not contain the overridden 'node' alias; got '${NVM_ALIAS_OUTPUT}'"
 
-echo "$NVM_ALIAS_OUTPUT" | command grep -F "iojs -> unstable (-> $STABLE_VERSION)" \
-  || die "nvm alias did not contain the overridden 'iojs' alias; got '$NVM_ALIAS_OUTPUT'"
+echo "${NVM_ALIAS_OUTPUT}" | command grep -F "iojs -> unstable (-> ${STABLE_VERSION})" \
+  || die "nvm alias did not contain the overridden 'iojs' alias; got '${NVM_ALIAS_OUTPUT}'"
 
 cleanup
diff --git a/test/fast/Aliases/Running 'nvm alias' should list all aliases b/test/fast/Aliases/Running 'nvm alias' should list all aliases
index d620fe510f..38ab61f8de 100755
--- a/test/fast/Aliases/Running 'nvm alias' should list all aliases	
+++ b/test/fast/Aliases/Running 'nvm alias' should list all aliases	
@@ -5,7 +5,7 @@
 
 die () { echo "$@" ; exit 1; }
 
-NVM_ALIAS_OUTPUT="$(nvm alias | strip_colors)"
+NVM_ALIAS_OUTPUT="$(run_in_terminal nvm alias | strip_colors)"
 echo "$NVM_ALIAS_OUTPUT" | \grep -F 'test-stable-1 -> 0.0.1 (-> v0.0.1)' \
   || die "did not find test-stable-1 alias; got '$NVM_ALIAS_OUTPUT'"
 echo "$NVM_ALIAS_OUTPUT" | \grep -F 'test-stable-2 -> 0.0.2 (-> v0.0.2)' \
diff --git a/test/fast/Aliases/nvm_ensure_default_set b/test/fast/Aliases/nvm_ensure_default_set
index 7e7dab8347..55708dbf70 100755
--- a/test/fast/Aliases/nvm_ensure_default_set
+++ b/test/fast/Aliases/nvm_ensure_default_set
@@ -12,9 +12,9 @@ nvm_ensure_default_set 0.3 || die "'nvm_ensure_default_set' with an existing def
 
 nvm unalias default || die "'nvm unalias default' failed"
 
-OUTPUT="$(nvm_ensure_default_set 0.2)"
+OUTPUT="$(run_in_terminal nvm_ensure_default_set 0.2)"
 EXPECTED_OUTPUT="Creating default alias: default -> 0.2 (-> iojs-v0.2.10)"
 EXIT_CODE="$?"
 
-[ "_$(echo "$OUTPUT" | strip_colors)" = "_$EXPECTED_OUTPUT" ] || die "'nvm_ensure_default_set 0.2' did not output '$EXPECTED_OUTPUT', got '$OUTPUT'"
-[ "_$EXIT_CODE" = "_0" ] || die "'nvm_ensure_default_set 0.2' did not exit with 0, got $EXIT_CODE"
+[ "_$(echo "${OUTPUT}" | strip_colors)" = "_${EXPECTED_OUTPUT}" ] || die "'nvm_ensure_default_set 0.2' did not output '${EXPECTED_OUTPUT}', got '${OUTPUT}'"
+[ "_${EXIT_CODE}" = "_0" ] || die "'nvm_ensure_default_set 0.2' did not exit with 0, got ${EXIT_CODE}"
diff --git a/test/fast/Unit tests/nvm ls-remote b/test/fast/Unit tests/nvm ls-remote
index 683fe927cb..0b79f05da9 100755
--- a/test/fast/Unit tests/nvm ls-remote	
+++ b/test/fast/Unit tests/nvm ls-remote	
@@ -2,28 +2,30 @@
 
 set -e
 
-die () { echo "$@" ; cleanup ; exit 1; }
+die() { echo "$@" ; cleanup ; exit 1; }
 
 cleanup() {
   unset -f nvm_download nvm_ls_remote nvm_ls_remote_iojs
-  if [ -n TEMP_NVM_COLORS ]; then
-    export NVM_COLORS=TEMP_NVM_COLORS
+  if [ -n "${TEMP_NVM_COLORS}" ]; then
+    export NVM_COLORS="${TEMP_NVM_COLORS}"
   fi
   unset TEMP_NVM_COLORS
 }
 
 \. ../../../nvm.sh
-if [ -n ${NVM_COLORS} ]; then
-  export TEMP_NVM_COLORS=NVM_COLORS
+
+if [ -n "${NVM_COLORS}" ]; then
+  export TEMP_NVM_COLORS="${NVM_COLORS}"
   unset NVM_COLORS
 fi
 
-nvm deactivate 2>/dev/null || die 'unable to deactivate'
+nvm deactivate 2>/dev/null || die '1: unable to deactivate'
 
 \. ../../common.sh
 
-MOCKS_DIR="$PWD/mocks"
+MOCKS_DIR="${PWD}/mocks"
 
+# shellcheck disable=SC2317
 nvm_download() {
   if [ "$*" = "-L -s $(nvm_get_mirror node std)/index.tab -o -" ]; then
     cat "$MOCKS_DIR/nodejs.org-dist-index.tab"
@@ -33,14 +35,14 @@ nvm_download() {
 }
 
 EXPECTED_OUTPUT_PATH="${MOCKS_DIR}/nvm ls-remote lts.txt"
-OUTPUT="$(nvm ls-remote --lts | sed 's/[ \t]*$//')"
-EXPECTED_OUTPUT="$(cat "$EXPECTED_OUTPUT_PATH" | sed 's/[ \t]*$//' )"
-[ "_$OUTPUT" = "_$EXPECTED_OUTPUT" ] || die "nvm ls-remote --lts did not output expected sorted versions; got $(echo ">$OUTPUT<") expected $(echo ">$EXPECTED_OUTPUT<")"
+OUTPUT="$(run_in_terminal nvm ls-remote --lts | sed 's/[ \t]*$//')"
+EXPECTED_OUTPUT="$(cat "${EXPECTED_OUTPUT_PATH}" | sed 's/[ \t]*$//' )"
+[ "_$OUTPUT" = "_${EXPECTED_OUTPUT}" ] || die "2: nvm ls-remote --lts did not output expected sorted versions; got >${OUTPUT}< expected >${EXPECTED_OUTPUT}<"
 
 EXPECTED_OUTPUT_PATH="${MOCKS_DIR}/nvm ls-remote lts.txt"
-OUTPUT="$(nvm ls-remote "lts/*" | sed 's/[ \t]*$//')"
-EXPECTED_OUTPUT="$(cat "$EXPECTED_OUTPUT_PATH" | sed 's/[ \t]*$//' )"
-[ "_$OUTPUT" = "_$EXPECTED_OUTPUT" ] || die "nvm ls-remote lts/* did not output expected sorted versions; got $(echo ">$OUTPUT<") expected $(echo ">$EXPECTED_OUTPUT<")"
+OUTPUT="$(run_in_terminal nvm ls-remote "lts/*" | sed 's/[ \t]*$//')"
+EXPECTED_OUTPUT="$(cat "${EXPECTED_OUTPUT_PATH}" | sed 's/[ \t]*$//' )"
+[ "_$OUTPUT" = "_${EXPECTED_OUTPUT}" ] || die "3: nvm ls-remote lts/* did not output expected sorted versions; got >${OUTPUT}< expected >${EXPECTED_OUTPUT}<"
 
 MOCKS_DIR="$PWD/mocks"
 LTS_NAMES_PATH="${MOCKS_DIR}/LTS_names.txt"
@@ -48,26 +50,26 @@ LTS_LIST="$(cat "${LTS_NAMES_PATH}" | tail -n +2)"
 
 INDEX=1
 printf '%s\n' "${LTS_LIST}" | while IFS= read -r LTS; do
-  ACTUAL="$(nvm ls-remote "lts/-${INDEX}" | sed 's/[ \t]*$//')"
+  ACTUAL="$(run_in_terminal nvm ls-remote "lts/-${INDEX}" | sed 's/[ \t]*$//')"
   MESSAGE="for lts/-${INDEX} (${LTS})"
-  EXPECTED="$(nvm ls-remote "lts/${LTS}" | sed 's/[ \t]*$//')"
-  [ "${ACTUAL}" = "${EXPECTED}" ] || die "${MESSAGE}: expected >${EXPECTED}<, got >${ACTUAL}<"
+  EXPECTED="$(run_in_terminal nvm ls-remote "lts/${LTS}" | sed 's/[ \t]*$//')"
+  [ "${ACTUAL}" = "${EXPECTED}" ] || die "4: ${MESSAGE}: expected >${EXPECTED}<, got >${ACTUAL}<"
 
   INDEX=$(($INDEX + 1))
 done
 
-REMOTE="$PWD/mocks/nvm_ls_remote.txt"
+REMOTE="${PWD}/mocks/nvm_ls_remote.txt"
 nvm_ls_remote() {
-  cat "$REMOTE"
+  cat "${REMOTE}"
 }
-REMOTE_IOJS="$PWD/mocks/nvm_ls_remote_iojs.txt"
+REMOTE_IOJS="${PWD}/mocks/nvm_ls_remote_iojs.txt"
 nvm_ls_remote_iojs() {
-  cat "$REMOTE_IOJS"
+  cat "${REMOTE_IOJS}"
 }
 
 EXPECTED_OUTPUT_PATH="${MOCKS_DIR}/nvm ls-remote.txt"
-OUTPUT="$(nvm ls-remote | sed 's/[ \t]*$//')"
-EXPECTED_OUTPUT="$(cat "$EXPECTED_OUTPUT_PATH" | sed 's/[ \t]*$//' )"
-[ "_$OUTPUT" = "_$EXPECTED_OUTPUT" ] || die "bare nvm ls-remote did not output expected sorted versions; got $(echo ">$OUTPUT<") expected $(echo ">$EXPECTED_OUTPUT<")"
+OUTPUT="$(run_in_terminal nvm ls-remote | sed 's/[ \t]*$//')"
+EXPECTED_OUTPUT="$(cat "${EXPECTED_OUTPUT_PATH}" | sed 's/[ \t]*$//' )"
+[ "_${OUTPUT}" = "_${EXPECTED_OUTPUT}" ] || die "5: bare nvm ls-remote did not output expected sorted versions; got >${OUTPUT}< expected >${EXPECTED_OUTPUT}<"
 
 cleanup
diff --git a/test/fast/Unit tests/nvm_ensure_default_set b/test/fast/Unit tests/nvm_ensure_default_set
index 14b53ebe49..9186273bca 100755
--- a/test/fast/Unit tests/nvm_ensure_default_set	
+++ b/test/fast/Unit tests/nvm_ensure_default_set	
@@ -7,9 +7,9 @@ die () { echo "$@" ; exit 1; }
 \. ../../../nvm.sh
 
 EXPECTED_OUTPUT="nvm_ensure_default_set: a version is required"
-OUTPUT="$(nvm_ensure_default_set 2>&1 >/dev/null)"
+OUTPUT="$(run_in_terminal nvm_ensure_default_set 2>&1 >/dev/null | strip_colors)"
 EXIT_CODE="$?"
-[ "_$(echo "$OUTPUT" | strip_colors)" = "_$EXPECTED_OUTPUT" ] || die "'nvm_ensure_default_set' did not output "$EXPECTED_OUTPUT", got "$OUTPUT""
-[ "_$EXIT_CODE" = "_1" ] || die "'nvm_ensure_default_set' did not exit with 1, got "$EXIT_CODE""
+[ "_${OUTPUT}" = "_${EXPECTED_OUTPUT}" ] || die "'nvm_ensure_default_set' did not output >${EXPECTED_OUTPUT}<, got >${OUTPUT}<"
+[ "_$EXIT_CODE" = "_1" ] || die "'nvm_ensure_default_set' did not exit with 1, got >${EXIT_CODE}<"
 
 # see test/fast/Aliases for remaining nvm_ensure_default_set tests