diff --git a/test/Serialization/basic_types.jl b/test/Serialization/basic_types.jl
index f36fa320c9c4..349d3b069ceb 100644
--- a/test/Serialization/basic_types.jl
+++ b/test/Serialization/basic_types.jl
@@ -1,46 +1,3 @@
-function test_save_load_roundtrip(func, path, original::T; params=nothing) where T
-  # save and load from a file
-  filename = joinpath(path, "original.json")
-  save(filename, original)
-  loaded = load(filename; params=params)
-  if T <: Vector
-    @test loaded isa Vector
-  else
-    @test loaded isa T
-  end
-  func(loaded)
-
-  # save and load from an IO buffer
-  io = IOBuffer()
-  save(io, original)
-  seekstart(io)
-  loaded = load(io; params=params)
-
-  if T <: Vector
-    @test loaded isa Vector
-  else
-    @test loaded isa T
-  end
-  func(loaded)
-
-  # save and load from an IO buffer, with prescribed type
-  io = IOBuffer()
-  save(io, original)
-  seekstart(io)
-  loaded = load(io, type=T, params=params)
-  if T <: Vector
-    @test loaded isa Vector
-  else
-    @test loaded isa T
-  end
-  func(loaded)
-
-  # test loading on a empty state
-  save(filename, original)
-  reset_global_serializer_state()
-  loaded = load(filename; params=params)
-end
-
 @testset "basic_types" begin
   
   mktempdir() do path
diff --git a/test/init_tests.jl b/test/init_tests.jl
new file mode 100644
index 000000000000..1876387cfea4
--- /dev/null
+++ b/test/init_tests.jl
@@ -0,0 +1,46 @@
+# This file is dedicated for code that needs to be run on every worker before
+# running the tests. This is useful for test-code that is called from multiple files
+# that may run on different workers.
+
+function test_save_load_roundtrip(func, path, original::T; params=nothing) where T
+  # save and load from a file
+  filename = joinpath(path, "original.json")
+  save(filename, original)
+  loaded = load(filename; params=params)
+  if T <: Vector
+    @test loaded isa Vector
+  else
+    @test loaded isa T
+  end
+  func(loaded)
+
+  # save and load from an IO buffer
+  io = IOBuffer()
+  save(io, original)
+  seekstart(io)
+  loaded = load(io; params=params)
+
+  if T <: Vector
+    @test loaded isa Vector
+  else
+    @test loaded isa T
+  end
+  func(loaded)
+
+  # save and load from an IO buffer, with prescribed type
+  io = IOBuffer()
+  save(io, original)
+  seekstart(io)
+  loaded = load(io, type=T, params=params)
+  if T <: Vector
+    @test loaded isa Vector
+  else
+    @test loaded isa T
+  end
+  func(loaded)
+
+  # test loading on a empty state
+  save(filename, original)
+  reset_global_serializer_state()
+  loaded = load(filename; params=params)
+end
diff --git a/test/runtests.jl b/test/runtests.jl
index 325a834eaa01..cec0e2cebe37 100644
--- a/test/runtests.jl
+++ b/test/runtests.jl
@@ -104,7 +104,7 @@ end
   Base.cumulative_compile_timing(true)
 end
 
-println("Making test list")
+@everywhere include("init_tests.jl")
 
 testlist = [