diff --git a/tests/Makefile b/tests/Makefile
index 278466687c..c9ebb6efba 100644
--- a/tests/Makefile
+++ b/tests/Makefile
@@ -15,10 +15,10 @@ ffservertest: ffserver$(EXESUF) tests/vsynth1/00.pgm tests/data/asynth1.sw
 
 OBJDIRS += tests/data tests/vsynth1
 
-tests/vsynth1/00.pgm: tests/videogen$(HOSTEXESUF) | tests/vsynth1
+$(VREF): tests/videogen$(HOSTEXESUF) | tests/vsynth1
 	$(M)./$< 'tests/vsynth1/'
 
-tests/data/asynth1.sw: tests/audiogen$(HOSTEXESUF) | tests/data
+$(AREF): tests/audiogen$(HOSTEXESUF) | tests/data
 	$(M)./$< $@
 
 tests/data/asynth-%.wav: tests/audiogen$(HOSTEXESUF) | tests/data
diff --git a/tests/fate/filter.mak b/tests/fate/filter.mak
index 7b9890b542..a56940a808 100644
--- a/tests/fate/filter.mak
+++ b/tests/fate/filter.mak
@@ -127,7 +127,7 @@ fate-filter-gradfun-sample: CMD = framecrc -i $(SAMPLES)/vmd/12.vmd -filter_scri
 FATE_FILTER-$(call ALLYES, TESTSRC_FILTER SINE_FILTER CONCAT_FILTER) += fate-filter-concat
 fate-filter-concat: CMD = framecrc -filter_complex_script $(SRC_PATH)/tests/filtergraphs/concat
 
-$(FATE_FILTER_VSYNTH-yes): tests/vsynth1/00.pgm
+$(FATE_FILTER_VSYNTH-yes): $(VREF)
 $(FATE_FILTER_VSYNTH-yes): SRC = $(TARGET_PATH)/tests/vsynth1/%02d.pgm
 FATE_AVCONV-$(call DEMDEC, IMAGE2, PGMYUV) += $(FATE_FILTER_VSYNTH-yes)
 
diff --git a/tests/fate/utvideo.mak b/tests/fate/utvideo.mak
index c6ce2176e0..64d3896766 100644
--- a/tests/fate/utvideo.mak
+++ b/tests/fate/utvideo.mak
@@ -66,7 +66,7 @@ fate-utvideoenc_yuv422_median: OPTS = -pix_fmt yuv422p -pred median
 FATE_UTVIDEOENC += fate-utvideoenc_yuv422_none
 fate-utvideoenc_yuv422_none: OPTS = -pix_fmt yuv422p -pred 3
 
-$(FATE_UTVIDEOENC): tests/vsynth1/00.pgm
+$(FATE_UTVIDEOENC): $(VREF)
 
 FATE_AVCONV-$(call ENCMUX, UTVIDEO, AVI) += $(FATE_UTVIDEOENC)
 fate-utvideoenc: $(FATE_UTVIDEOENC)
diff --git a/tests/fate/video.mak b/tests/fate/video.mak
index 6090074e96..50c29c4707 100644
--- a/tests/fate/video.mak
+++ b/tests/fate/video.mak
@@ -254,7 +254,7 @@ FATE_VIDEO-$(call DEMDEC, MOV, V410) += fate-v410dec
 fate-v410dec: CMD = framecrc -i $(SAMPLES)/v410/lenav410.mov -pix_fmt yuv444p10le
 
 FATE_VIDEO-$(call ENCDEC, V410 PGMYUV, AVI IMAGE2) += fate-v410enc
-fate-v410enc: tests/vsynth1/00.pgm
+fate-v410enc: $(VREF)
 fate-v410enc: CMD = md5 -f image2 -vcodec pgmyuv -i $(TARGET_PATH)/tests/vsynth1/%02d.pgm -flags +bitexact -vcodec v410 -f avi
 
 FATE_VIDEO-$(call DEMDEC, SIFF, VB) += fate-vb