diff --git a/cmd/tools/test_if_v_test_system_works.v b/cmd/tools/test_if_v_test_system_works.v
index 61877ddf5c9ce1..eac02e28747f0d 100644
--- a/cmd/tools/test_if_v_test_system_works.v
+++ b/cmd/tools/test_if_v_test_system_works.v
@@ -26,13 +26,14 @@ fn get_vexe_path() string {
 fn new_tdir() string {
 	dir := os.join_path(os.vtmp_dir(), rand.ulid())
 	os.rmdir_all(dir) or {}
+	eprintln('... creating tdir: ${tdir}')
 	os.mkdir_all(dir) or { panic(err) }
 	C.atexit(cleanup_tdir)
 	return dir
 }
 
 fn cleanup_tdir() {
-	println('... removing tdir: ${tdir}')
+	eprintln('... removing tdir: ${tdir}')
 	os.rmdir_all(tdir) or { eprintln(err) }
 }
 
@@ -61,27 +62,31 @@ fn (result MyResult) matches(gpattern string) MyResult {
 fn create_test(tname string, tcontent string) !string {
 	tpath := os.join_path(tdir, tname)
 	os.write_file(tpath, tcontent)!
-	eprintln('>>>>>>>> tpath: ${tpath} | tcontent: ${tcontent}')
+	$if trace_create_test ? {
+		eprintln('>>>>>>>> tpath: ${tpath} | tcontent:')
+		eprintln(tcontent)
+		eprintln('>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>')
+	}
 	return os.quoted_path(tpath)
 }
 
 fn check_assert_continues_works() ! {
 	os.chdir(tdir)!
-	create_test('assert_continues_option_works_test.v', 'fn test_fail1() { assert 2==4\nassert 2==1\nassert 2==0 }\nfn test_ok(){ assert true }\nfn test_fail2() { assert false }')!
-	result := check_fail('${vexe} -assert continues assert_continues_option_works_test.v')
-	result.has('assert_continues_option_works_test.v:1: fn test_fail1')
+	create_test('assert_continues_option_works_test.v', 'fn test_fail1() {\nassert 2==4\nassert 2==1\nassert 2==0 }\nfn test_ok(){ assert true }\nfn test_fail2() {\n assert false\n}\n')!
+	result := check_fail('${vexe} -g -assert continues assert_continues_option_works_test.v')
 	result.has('assert_continues_option_works_test.v:2: fn test_fail1')
 	result.has('assert_continues_option_works_test.v:3: fn test_fail1')
-	result.has('assert_continues_option_works_test.v:5: fn test_fail2')
+	result.has('assert_continues_option_works_test.v:4: fn test_fail1')
+	result.has('assert_continues_option_works_test.v:7: fn test_fail2')
 	result.has('> assert 2 == 4').has('> assert 2 == 1').has('> assert 2 == 0')
-	// Check if a test function, tagged with [assert_continues], has the same behaviour, without needing additional options
-	create_test('assert_continues_tag_works_test.v', '[assert_continues]fn test_fail1() { assert 2==4\nassert 2==1\nassert 2==0 }\nfn test_ok(){ assert true }\nfn test_fail2() { assert false\n assert false }')!
-	tag_res := check_fail('${vexe} assert_continues_tag_works_test.v')
-	tag_res.has('assert_continues_tag_works_test.v:1: fn test_fail1')
+	// Check if a test function, tagged with @[assert_continues], has the same behaviour, without needing additional options
+	create_test('assert_continues_tag_works_test.v', '@[assert_continues]fn test_fail1() {\nassert 2==4\nassert 2==1\nassert 2==0 }\nfn test_ok(){ assert true }\nfn test_fail2() {\n assert false\n assert false\n}\n')!
+	tag_res := check_fail('${vexe} -g assert_continues_tag_works_test.v')
 	tag_res.has('assert_continues_tag_works_test.v:2: fn test_fail1')
 	tag_res.has('assert_continues_tag_works_test.v:3: fn test_fail1')
-	tag_res.has('assert_continues_tag_works_test.v:5: fn test_fail2')
-	if tag_res.contains('assert_continues_tag_works_test.v:6: fn test_fail2') {
+	tag_res.has('assert_continues_tag_works_test.v:4: fn test_fail1')
+	tag_res.has('assert_continues_tag_works_test.v:7: fn test_fail2')
+	if tag_res.contains('assert_continues_tag_works_test.v:8: fn test_fail2') {
 		exit(1)
 	}
 }
@@ -111,22 +116,22 @@ fn main() {
 		os.chdir(os.wd_at_startup) or {}
 	}
 	println('> vroot: ${vroot} | vexe: ${vexe} | tdir: ${tdir}')
-	ok_fpath := create_test('a_single_ok_test.v', 'fn test_ok(){ assert true }')!
-	if check_ok('${vexe} ${ok_fpath}') != '' {
+	ok_fpath := create_test('a_single_ok_test.v', 'fn test_ok(){\n assert true \n}\n')!
+	if check_ok('${vexe} -g ${ok_fpath}') != '' {
 		exit(1)
 	}
-	check_ok('${vexe} test ${ok_fpath}').matches('*OK*a_single_ok_test.v*')
-	check_ok('${vexe} test "${tdir}"').matches('*OK*a_single_ok_test.v*')
+	check_ok('${vexe} -g test ${ok_fpath}').matches('*OK*a_single_ok_test.v*')
+	check_ok('${vexe} -g test "${tdir}"').matches('*OK*a_single_ok_test.v*')
 	//
-	fail_fpath := create_test('a_single_failing_test.v', 'fn test_fail(){ assert 1 == 2 }')!
-	check_fail('${vexe} ${fail_fpath}').has('> assert 1 == 2').has('a_single_failing_test.v:1: fn test_fail')
-	check_fail('${vexe} test ${fail_fpath}').has('> assert 1 == 2').has('a_single_failing_test.v:1: fn test_fail')
-	check_fail('${vexe} test "${tdir}"').has('> assert 1 == 2')
+	fail_fpath := create_test('a_single_failing_test.v', 'fn test_fail(){\n assert 1 == 2 \n}\n')!
+	check_fail('${vexe} -g ${fail_fpath}').has('> assert 1 == 2').has('a_single_failing_test.v:2: fn test_fail')
+	check_fail('${vexe} -g test ${fail_fpath}').has('> assert 1 == 2').has('a_single_failing_test.v:2: fn test_fail')
+	check_fail('${vexe} -g test "${tdir}"').has('> assert 1 == 2')
 	rel_dir := os.join_path(tdir, rand.ulid())
 	os.mkdir(rel_dir)!
 	os.chdir(rel_dir)!
 	relative_path := '..' + os.path_separator + 'a_single_ok_test.v'
-	check_ok('${vexe} test ${os.quoted_path(relative_path)}').has('OK').has('a_single_ok_test.v')
+	check_ok('${vexe} -g test ${os.quoted_path(relative_path)}').has('OK').has('a_single_ok_test.v')
 	//
 	check_assert_continues_works()!
 	println('> all done')
diff --git a/cmd/tools/vtest-all.v b/cmd/tools/vtest-all.v
index bf15896bd16055..7db512ffab04ad 100644
--- a/cmd/tools/vtest-all.v
+++ b/cmd/tools/vtest-all.v
@@ -270,6 +270,12 @@ fn get_all_commands() []Command {
 			rmfile: 'str_array'
 		}
 	}
+	res << Command{
+		line: '${vexe} run cmd/tools/test_if_v_test_system_works.v'
+		okmsg: 'The V test system works'
+		runcmd: .execute
+		contains: '> all done'
+	}
 	res << Command{
 		line: '${vexe} ${vargs} -progress test-cleancode'
 		okmsg: 'All .v files are invariant when processed with `v fmt`'
diff --git a/vlib/v/gen/c/cgen.v b/vlib/v/gen/c/cgen.v
index 80bfdef60b8b20..924505bd4dd2ee 100644
--- a/vlib/v/gen/c/cgen.v
+++ b/vlib/v/gen/c/cgen.v
@@ -5875,6 +5875,9 @@ fn (mut g Gen) write_init_function() {
 
 	// ___argv is declared as voidptr here, because that unifies the windows/unix logic
 	g.writeln('void _vinit(int ___argc, voidptr ___argv) {')
+	if 'trace_vinit' in g.pref.compile_defines {
+		g.writeln('\tfprintf(stderr, ">>>> _vinit start\\n");')
+	}
 
 	g.write_debug_calls_typeof_functions()
 
@@ -5945,6 +5948,9 @@ fn (mut g Gen) write_init_function() {
 		cleaning_up_array << g.gen_call_to_mod_fn(mod_name, 'cleanup')
 	}
 
+	if 'trace_vinit' in g.pref.compile_defines {
+		g.writeln('\tfprintf(stderr, ">>>> _vinit end\\n");')
+	}
 	g.writeln('}')
 	if g.pref.printfn_list.len > 0 && '_vinit' in g.pref.printfn_list {
 		println(g.out.after(fn_vinit_start_pos))
@@ -5953,6 +5959,9 @@ fn (mut g Gen) write_init_function() {
 	//
 	fn_vcleanup_start_pos := g.out.len
 	g.writeln('void _vcleanup(void) {')
+	if 'trace_vcleanup' in g.pref.compile_defines {
+		g.writeln('\tfprintf(stderr, ">>>> _vcleanup start\\n");')
+	}
 	if g.pref.trace_calls {
 		g.writeln('\tv__trace_calls__on_call(_SLIT("_vcleanup"));')
 	}
@@ -5969,6 +5978,9 @@ fn (mut g Gen) write_init_function() {
 	for x in cleaning_up_array.reverse() {
 		g.writeln(x)
 	}
+	if 'trace_vcleanup' in g.pref.compile_defines {
+		g.writeln('\tfprintf(stderr, ">>>> _vcleanup end\\n");')
+	}
 	g.writeln('}')
 	if g.pref.printfn_list.len > 0 && '_vcleanup' in g.pref.printfn_list {
 		println(g.out.after(fn_vcleanup_start_pos))
diff --git a/vlib/v/gen/c/cmain.v b/vlib/v/gen/c/cmain.v
index 7918ee8f24aa52..9c0e9bb9e4330a 100644
--- a/vlib/v/gen/c/cmain.v
+++ b/vlib/v/gen/c/cmain.v
@@ -116,6 +116,9 @@ fn (mut g Gen) gen_c_main_header() {
 		}
 		g.writeln('#endif')
 	}
+	if !g.pref.is_bare {
+		g.writeln('\tatexit(_vcleanup);')
+	}
 	g.writeln('\t_vinit(___argc, (voidptr)___argv);')
 	g.gen_c_main_profile_hook()
 	if g.pref.is_livemain {
@@ -124,7 +127,9 @@ fn (mut g Gen) gen_c_main_header() {
 }
 
 pub fn (mut g Gen) gen_c_main_footer() {
-	g.writeln('\t_vcleanup();')
+	if g.pref.is_bare {
+		g.writeln('\t_vcleanup();')
+	}
 	g.writeln('\treturn 0;')
 	g.writeln('}')
 }
@@ -140,14 +145,12 @@ void (_vsokol_cleanup_cb)(void) {
 	if (_vsokol_user_cleanup_ptr) {
 		_vsokol_user_cleanup_ptr();
 	}
-	_vcleanup();
 }
 
 void (_vsokol_cleanup_userdata_cb)(void* user_data) {
 	if (_vsokol_user_cleanup_cb_ptr) {
 		_vsokol_user_cleanup_cb_ptr(g_desc.user_data);
 	}
-	_vcleanup();
 }
 ')
 	}
@@ -168,8 +171,8 @@ sapp_desc sokol_main(int argc, char* argv[]) {
 		}
 		g.writeln('#endif')
 	}
-	g.writeln('\t_vinit(argc, (voidptr)argv);
-	')
+	g.writeln('\tatexit(_vcleanup);')
+	g.writeln('\t_vinit(argc, (voidptr)argv);')
 
 	g.gen_c_main_profile_hook()
 	g.writeln('\tmain__main();')
@@ -248,6 +251,7 @@ pub fn (mut g Gen) gen_c_main_for_tests() {
 		}
 		g.writeln('#endif')
 	}
+	g.writeln('\tatexit(_vcleanup);')
 	g.writeln('\t_vinit(___argc, (voidptr)___argv);')
 	g.writeln('\tmain__vtest_init();')
 	g.gen_c_main_profile_hook()
@@ -303,8 +307,6 @@ pub fn (mut g Gen) gen_c_main_for_tests() {
 	//
 	g.writeln('\t_vtrunner._method__v_free(_vtobj);')
 	g.writeln('')
-	g.writeln('\t_vcleanup();')
-	g.writeln('')
 	g.writeln('\treturn test_exit_code;')
 	g.writeln('}')
 	if g.pref.printfn_list.len > 0 && 'main' in g.pref.printfn_list {