diff --git a/src/pmieconf/.gitignore b/src/pmieconf/.gitignore
index 3c0b7b51ef..0670d80057 100644
--- a/src/pmieconf/.gitignore
+++ b/src/pmieconf/.gitignore
@@ -9,6 +9,7 @@ perdisk/GNUmakefile
 pernetif/GNUmakefile
 power/GNUmakefile
 primary/GNUmakefile
+testing/GNUmakefile
 zeroconf/GNUmakefile
 pmieconf
 pmieconf.static
diff --git a/src/pmieconf/GNUmakefile b/src/pmieconf/GNUmakefile
index 567d94dce1..7a82e45a28 100644
--- a/src/pmieconf/GNUmakefile
+++ b/src/pmieconf/GNUmakefile
@@ -18,7 +18,7 @@ include	$(TOPDIR)/src/include/builddefs
 include $(TOPDIR)/src/libpcp/src/GNUlibrarydefs
 
 MKFILE_SUBDIRS = cpu entropy filesys memory network percpu perdisk pernetif \
-		 power global primary zeroconf
+		 power global primary testing zeroconf
 SUBDIRS	= $(MKFILE_SUBDIRS)
 
 CMDTARGET = pmieconf$(EXECSUFFIX)
diff --git a/src/pmieconf/primary/localdefs b/src/pmieconf/primary/localdefs
index 3d51dd69d9..ca21fca8b5 100644
--- a/src/pmieconf/primary/localdefs
+++ b/src/pmieconf/primary/localdefs
@@ -1,2 +1,2 @@
-ALL_RULES = pmda_status test_actions
+ALL_RULES = pmda_status
 LOCAL_RULES = $(ALL_RULES)
diff --git a/src/pmieconf/testing/localdefs b/src/pmieconf/testing/localdefs
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..a2af94f1c0
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/pmieconf/testing/localdefs
@@ -0,0 +1,2 @@
+ALL_RULES = test_actions
+LOCAL_RULES = $(ALL_RULES)
diff --git a/src/pmieconf/primary/test_actions b/src/pmieconf/testing/test_actions
similarity index 97%
rename from src/pmieconf/primary/test_actions
rename to src/pmieconf/testing/test_actions
index cc0ee1f7cb..56c89787a0 100644
--- a/src/pmieconf/primary/test_actions
+++ b/src/pmieconf/testing/test_actions
@@ -2,7 +2,7 @@
 # --- DO NOT MODIFY THIS FILE --- see pmieconf(5)
 #
 
-rule	primary.test_actions
+rule	testing.test_actions
 	default	= "$rule$"
 	predicate = "hinv.ncpu > 0"
 	enabled	= no