diff --git a/test/gw-ci/CMakeLists.txt b/test/gw-ci/CMakeLists.txt
index 9309aa0b7..35408aeee 100644
--- a/test/gw-ci/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/test/gw-ci/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -1,10 +1,11 @@
 # Function that generates the 1/2 cycle forecast and DA tasks
 function(add_cycling_tests pslot YAML_PATH HOMEgfs RUNTESTS PROJECT_SOURCE_DIR TASK_LIST)
+  set(test_name test_gdasapp_${pslot})
   # Prepare the COMROOT and EXPDIR for the cycling ctests
-  add_test(NAME test_gdasapp_${pslot}
+  add_test(NAME ${test_name}
     COMMAND /bin/bash -c "${PROJECT_SOURCE_DIR}/test/gw-ci/create_exp.sh ${YAML_PATH} ${pslot} ${HOMEgfs} ${RUNTESTS}"
     WORKING_DIRECTORY ${RUNTESTS})
-  set_tests_properties(${pslot} PROPERTIES LABELS "manual")
+  set_tests_properties(${test_name} PROPERTIES LABELS "manual")
 
   # Get the 1/2 cycle and full cycle's dates
   execute_process(
@@ -18,28 +19,28 @@ function(add_cycling_tests pslot YAML_PATH HOMEgfs RUNTESTS PROJECT_SOURCE_DIR T
   list(GET DATES_LIST 1 FULL_CYCLE)
 
   # stage IC's
-  message(STATUS "staging the 1/2 cycle IC's for ${pslot} ctest")
-  add_test(NAME test_gdasapp_${pslot}_gdasstage_ic_${HALF_CYCLE}
+  message(STATUS "staging the 1/2 cycle IC's for ${test_name} ctest")
+  add_test(NAME ${test_name}_gdasstage_ic_${HALF_CYCLE}
            COMMAND /bin/bash -c "${PROJECT_SOURCE_DIR}/test/gw-ci/run_exp.sh ${pslot} gdasstage_ic ${HALF_CYCLE}"
            WORKING_DIRECTORY ${RUNTESTS})
-  set_tests_properties(${pslot}_gdasstage_ic_${HALF_CYCLE} PROPERTIES LABELS "manual")
+  set_tests_properties(${test_name}_gdasstage_ic_${HALF_CYCLE} PROPERTIES LABELS "manual")
 
   # 1/2 cycle gdasfcst
   message(STATUS "preparing 1/2 cycle gdasfcst for ${pslot} ctest")
-  add_test(NAME test_gdasapp_${pslot}_gdasfcst_${HALF_CYCLE}
+  add_test(NAME ${test_name}_gdasfcst_${HALF_CYCLE}
            COMMAND /bin/bash -c "${PROJECT_SOURCE_DIR}/test/gw-ci/run_exp.sh ${pslot} gdasfcst_seg0 ${HALF_CYCLE}"
            WORKING_DIRECTORY ${RUNTESTS})
-  set_tests_properties(${pslot}_gdasfcst_${HALF_CYCLE} PROPERTIES LABELS "manual")
+  set_tests_properties(${test_name}_gdasfcst_${HALF_CYCLE} PROPERTIES LABELS "manual")
 
   # Select the list of tasks to run for the full cycle
   message(STATUS "Tasks ${TASK_LIST}")
 
   foreach(task ${TASK_LIST})
     message(STATUS "preparing the full cycle ${task} for ${pslot} ctest")
-    add_test(NAME test_gdasapp_${pslot}_${task}_${FULL_CYCLE}
+    add_test(NAME ${test_name}_${task}_${FULL_CYCLE}
              COMMAND /bin/bash -c "${PROJECT_SOURCE_DIR}/test/gw-ci/run_exp.sh ${pslot} ${task} ${FULL_CYCLE}"
              WORKING_DIRECTORY ${RUNTESTS})
-    set_tests_properties(${pslot}_${task}_${FULL_CYCLE} PROPERTIES LABELS "manual")
+    set_tests_properties(${test_name}_${task}_${FULL_CYCLE} PROPERTIES LABELS "manual")
   endforeach()
 endfunction()