diff --git a/test-suite/standalone/test-asmobs b/test-suite/standalone/test-asmobs
index 9689ab9c6..a8dd26b9d 100755
--- a/test-suite/standalone/test-asmobs
+++ b/test-suite/standalone/test-asmobs
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 #!/bin/sh
-exec guile -q -s "$0" "$@"
+exec ${GUILE:-guile} -q -s "$0" "$@"
 !#
 
 (load-extension (string-append (getenv "builddir") "/libtest-asmobs")
diff --git a/test-suite/standalone/test-bad-identifiers b/test-suite/standalone/test-bad-identifiers
index e7af5a1d1..5964d1c91 100755
--- a/test-suite/standalone/test-bad-identifiers
+++ b/test-suite/standalone/test-bad-identifiers
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 #!/bin/sh
-exec guile -q -s "$0" "$@"
+exec ${GUILE:-guile} -q -s "$0" "$@"
 !#
 
 ;; The use of certain identifiers as variable or parameter names has
diff --git a/test-suite/standalone/test-fast-slot-ref.in b/test-suite/standalone/test-fast-slot-ref.in
index 5bd063876..e9b30dc46 100644
--- a/test-suite/standalone/test-fast-slot-ref.in
+++ b/test-suite/standalone/test-fast-slot-ref.in
@@ -25,7 +25,7 @@
 # executing the (%fast-slot-ref i 3) line.  For reasons as yet
 # unknown, it does not cause a segmentation fault if the same code is
 # loaded as a script; that is why we run it here using "guile -q <<EOF".
-exec guile -q -l @top_builddir_absolute@/libguile/stack-limit-calibration.scm >/dev/null 2>&1 <<EOF
+exec ${GUILE:-guile} -q -l @top_builddir_absolute@/libguile/stack-limit-calibration.scm >/dev/null 2>&1 <<EOF
 (use-modules (oop goops))
 (define-module (oop goops))
 (define-class <c> () (a #:init-value 1) (b #:init-value 2) (c #:init-value 3))
diff --git a/test-suite/standalone/test-require-extension b/test-suite/standalone/test-require-extension
index 69f18589a..ff5c98645 100755
--- a/test-suite/standalone/test-require-extension
+++ b/test-suite/standalone/test-require-extension
@@ -7,12 +7,12 @@ set -e
 # (Note the syntax "! guile -c ..." isn't used here, because that doesn't
 # work on Solaris 10.)
 #
-guile -q -c '(require-extension 7)' 2>/dev/null            && exit 1
-guile -q -c '(require-extension (blarg))' 2>/dev/null      && exit 1
-guile -q -c '(require-extension (srfi "foo"))' 2>/dev/null && exit 1
+${GUILE:-guile} -q -c '(require-extension 7)' 2>/dev/null            && exit 1
+${GUILE:-guile} -q -c '(require-extension (blarg))' 2>/dev/null      && exit 1
+${GUILE:-guile} -q -c '(require-extension (srfi "foo"))' 2>/dev/null && exit 1
 
 # expect these to succeed
-guile -q -c '(require-extension (srfi 1)) (exit (procedure? take-right))'
-guile -q -c '(require-extension (srfi))'
+${GUILE:-guile} -q -c '(require-extension (srfi 1)) (exit (procedure? take-right))'
+${GUILE:-guile} -q -c '(require-extension (srfi))'
 
 exit 0
diff --git a/test-suite/standalone/test-system-cmds b/test-suite/standalone/test-system-cmds
index f5007297e..995a4ea4e 100755
--- a/test-suite/standalone/test-system-cmds
+++ b/test-suite/standalone/test-system-cmds
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 #!/bin/sh
-exec guile -q -s "$0" "$@"
+exec ${GUILE:-guile} -q -s "$0" "$@"
 !#
 
 (define (test-system-cmd)
diff --git a/test-suite/standalone/test-use-srfi.in b/test-suite/standalone/test-use-srfi.in
index 57f84afe4..4ec0c2092 100755
--- a/test-suite/standalone/test-use-srfi.in
+++ b/test-suite/standalone/test-use-srfi.in
@@ -19,7 +19,7 @@
 
 # Test that two srfi numbers on the command line work.
 #
-guile -q -l @top_builddir_absolute@/libguile/stack-limit-calibration.scm --use-srfi=1,10 >/dev/null <<EOF
+${GUILE:-guile} -q -l @top_builddir_absolute@/libguile/stack-limit-calibration.scm --use-srfi=1,10 >/dev/null <<EOF
 (if (and (defined? 'partition)
          (defined? 'define-reader-ctor))
     (exit 0)   ;; good
@@ -38,7 +38,7 @@ fi
 # `top-repl' the core bindings got ahead of anything --use-srfi gave.
 #
 
-guile -q -l @top_builddir_absolute@/libguile/stack-limit-calibration.scm --use-srfi=1 >/dev/null <<EOF
+${GUILE:-guile} -q -l @top_builddir_absolute@/libguile/stack-limit-calibration.scm --use-srfi=1 >/dev/null <<EOF
 (catch #t
   (lambda ()
     (iota 2 3 4))
@@ -56,7 +56,7 @@ fi
 # exercises duplicates handling in `top-repl' versus `use-srfis' (in
 # boot-9.scm).
 #
-guile -q -l @top_builddir_absolute@/libguile/stack-limit-calibration.scm --use-srfi=17 >/dev/null <<EOF
+${GUILE:-guile} -q -l @top_builddir_absolute@/libguile/stack-limit-calibration.scm --use-srfi=17 >/dev/null <<EOF
 (if (procedure-with-setter? car)
     (exit 0)   ;; good
     (exit 1))  ;; bad