diff --git a/tests/main.cpp b/tests/main.cpp
index 4168da5..e680fee 100644
--- a/tests/main.cpp
+++ b/tests/main.cpp
@@ -7,25 +7,36 @@
 
 #define RED "\033[1;91m"
 #define GREEN "\033[1;92m"
+#define YELLOW "\033[1;93m"
 #define AQUA "\033[1;36m"
 #define RESET "\033[;1m"
 
-extern std::map<std::string, test_t> tests;
-
-void loadTests();
-
 int main(int argc, char** argv) {
 	auto start = std::chrono::high_resolution_clock::now();
 
-	loadTests();
-
+	testdef* startit = &__start_testlist, *endit = &__stop_testlist;
 	int failcount = 0;
-	int testcount = tests.size();
+	int skipcount = 0;
+	int testcount = endit-startit;
 	int testnumber = 0;
-	for(std::map<std::string, test_t>::iterator current = tests.begin(); current != tests.end(); ++current) {
-		printf("\033[1mRunning test: %d/%d " AQUA "%s " RESET, ++testnumber, testcount, current->first.c_str());
-		if((current->second)()) {
+
+	// go through back -> front (tests are inserted in reverse order)
+	for(testdef* it = startit + testcount-1; it >= startit; --it) {
+		printf("\033[1mRunning test: %d/%d " AQUA "%s " RESET, ++testnumber, testcount, it->name);
+
+		// run test
+		int result = TESTFAILED;
+		try {
+			result = (it->testf)();
+		} catch(std::exception& e) {
+			std::cout << "catched exception: \"" << e.what() << "\" " << std::flush;
+		} catch(...) {}
+
+		if(result == TESTGOOD) {
 			printf(GREEN "succeeded" RESET "!\n");
+		} else if(result == TESTSKIPPED) {
+			printf(YELLOW "skipped" RESET "!\n");
+			skipcount++;
 		} else {
 			printf(RED "failed" RESET "\n");
 			failcount++;
@@ -33,7 +44,7 @@ int main(int argc, char** argv) {
 	}
 
 	const char* color = (failcount > 0 ? RED : GREEN); // red or green
-	printf("%s%d" RESET "/%d failed\n", color, failcount, testcount);
+	printf("%s%d" RESET "/%d failed (" YELLOW "%d " RESET "skipped)\n", color, failcount, testcount, skipcount);
 
 	auto end = std::chrono::high_resolution_clock::now();
 	std::chrono::duration<double> t = end - start;
diff --git a/tests/sampletest.cpp b/tests/sampletest.cpp
index 926bc2a..8dfed74 100644
--- a/tests/sampletest.cpp
+++ b/tests/sampletest.cpp
@@ -1,11 +1,29 @@
 #include "test.h"
 
+#include <stdexcept>
+
+// tests are executed top to bottom
+
+// never fail
 TEST(ABC) {
 	CMPASSERT(1, true);
 
 } TESTEND
 
+// always fail
 TEST(CDE) {
 	CMPASSERT(0, true);
 
-} TESTEND
\ No newline at end of file
+} TESTEND
+
+// always skip
+TEST(FGH) {
+	SKIPTEST;
+
+} TESTEND
+
+// always throw
+TEST(IJK) {
+	throw std::runtime_error("test exception");
+
+} TESTEND
diff --git a/tests/test.h b/tests/test.h
index 1cad15b..e286566 100644
--- a/tests/test.h
+++ b/tests/test.h
@@ -1,17 +1,43 @@
 #define TESTFAILED 0
 #define TESTGOOD 1
+#define TESTSKIPPED -1
 
 #include <iostream>
 
 #define TESTDATA "./tests/data/"
 
-#define TESTNAME(NAME) test_##NAME
-#define TESTFUNC(NAME) bool TESTNAME(NAME)()
-#define TEST(NAME) TESTFUNC(NAME) {
-#define TESTEND return TESTGOOD; }
+// very helpfull: https://mgalgs.io/2013/05/10/hacking-your-ELF-for-fun-and-profit.html
 
-#define ASSERT(BED, ERR) if(!(BED)) { std::cout << __FILE__ << ":" << __LINE__ << "  " << ERR << std::endl; return TESTFAILED; }
-#define CMPASSERTE(A, B, ERR) if( !((A) == (B))) { std::cout << __FILE__ << ":" << __LINE__ << "  is: \"" << (A) << "\"   should: \"" << (B) << "\""<< std::endl; return TESTFAILED; }
+#define TESTNAME(NAME) test_##NAME
+#define TESTFUNC(NAME) int TESTNAME(NAME)()
+
+#define REGISTERTEST(NAME) static const testdef __test_ ## NAME \
+	__attribute((__section__("testlist"))) \
+	__attribute((__used__)) = { \
+		TESTNAME(NAME), \
+		#NAME, \
+	}
+
+#define TEST(NAME) static TESTFUNC(NAME); \
+	REGISTERTEST(NAME); \
+	TESTFUNC(NAME) {
+
+#define TESTEND return TESTGOOD; } \
+
+
+#define ASSERT(BED, ERR) if(!(BED)) { std::cout << __FILE__ << ":" << __LINE__ << "  " << ERR << ' ' << std::flush; return TESTFAILED; }
+#define CMPASSERTE(A, B, ERR) if( !((A) == (B))) { std::cout << __FILE__ << ":" << __LINE__ << "  is: \"" << (A) << "\"   should: \"" << (B) << "\" "<< std::flush; return TESTFAILED; }
 #define CMPASSERT(A, B) CMPASSERTE(A, B, "")
 
-typedef bool (*test_t)();
+#define SKIPTEST return TESTSKIPPED
+
+typedef int (*test_t)();
+
+struct testdef {
+	test_t testf;
+	const char* name;
+};
+
+// linker generates this <3
+extern struct testdef __start_testlist;
+extern struct testdef __stop_testlist;
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/tests/tests.cpp b/tests/tests.cpp
deleted file mode 100644
index 64419ee..0000000
--- a/tests/tests.cpp
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,16 +0,0 @@
-#include "test.h"
-
-#include <map>
-#include <string>
-
-#define REGISTERTEST(NAME) tests.insert({#NAME, TESTNAME(NAME)})
-
-TESTFUNC(ABC);
-TESTFUNC(CDE);
-
-std::map<std::string, test_t> tests;
-
-void loadTests() {
-	REGISTERTEST(ABC);
-	REGISTERTEST(CDE);
-}
\ No newline at end of file