diff --git a/nixos/lib/test-driver/test-driver.py b/nixos/lib/test-driver/test-driver.py
index 1720e553d733..0372148cb33c 100755
--- a/nixos/lib/test-driver/test-driver.py
+++ b/nixos/lib/test-driver/test-driver.py
@@ -1029,10 +1029,11 @@ if __name__ == "__main__":
 
     args = arg_parser.parse_args()
     global test_script
+    testscript = pathlib.Path(args.testscript).read_text()
 
     def test_script() -> None:
         with log.nested("running the VM test script"):
-            exec(pathlib.Path(args.testscript).read_text(), globals())
+            exec(testscript, globals())
 
     log = Logger()
 
@@ -1061,7 +1062,8 @@ if __name__ == "__main__":
                 process.terminate()
         log.close()
 
+    interactive = args.interactive or (not bool(testscript))
     tic = time.time()
-    run_tests(args.interactive)
+    run_tests(interactive)
     toc = time.time()
     print("test script finished in {:.2f}s".format(toc - tic))
diff --git a/nixos/lib/testing-python.nix b/nixos/lib/testing-python.nix
index 6369d6ef05d4..e95ebe16ecac 100644
--- a/nixos/lib/testing-python.nix
+++ b/nixos/lib/testing-python.nix
@@ -186,6 +186,14 @@ rec {
           --set startScripts "''${vmStartScripts[*]}" \
           --set testScript "$out/test-script" \
           --set vlans '${toString vlans}'
+
+        ${lib.optionalString (testScript == "") ''
+          ln -s ${testDriver}/bin/nixos-test-driver $out/bin/nixos-run-vms
+          wrapProgram $out/bin/nixos-run-vms \
+            --set startScripts "''${vmStartScripts[*]}" \
+            --set testScript "${pkgs.writeText "start-all" "start_all(); join_all();"}" \
+            --set vlans '${toString vlans}'
+        ''}
       '');
 
   # Make a full-blown test