diff --git a/test/CMakeLists.txt b/test/CMakeLists.txt
index 7927d2d..5f1cdcd 100644
--- a/test/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/test/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -1,5 +1,4 @@
 find_package(rostest REQUIRED)
-find_package(mrs_uav_testing REQUIRED)
 
 add_subdirectory(modalities)
 
diff --git a/test/failsafe_controller/CMakeLists.txt b/test/failsafe_controller/CMakeLists.txt
index 62af09f..5cc107b 100644
--- a/test/failsafe_controller/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/test/failsafe_controller/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -29,8 +29,6 @@ foreach(MODALITY ${MODALITIES})
 
   add_rostest(${TEST_NAME}.test
     ARGS
-    package_name:=${PROJECT_NAME}
-    test_name:=${TEST_NAME}
     modality:=${MODALITY}
     )
 
diff --git a/test/failsafe_controller/failsafe_controller.test b/test/failsafe_controller/failsafe_controller.test
index 5b25da4..d85e685 100644
--- a/test/failsafe_controller/failsafe_controller.test
+++ b/test/failsafe_controller/failsafe_controller.test
@@ -1,12 +1,17 @@
 <launch>
 
+  <arg name="this_path" default="$(dirname)" />
+
   <arg name="UAV_NAME" default="uav1" />
   <arg name="UAV_TYPE" default="x500" />
 
-  <!-- these will be filled in from the CMakeLists -->
-  <arg name="path" default="$(find mrs_uav_controllers)/test/failsafe_controller" />
-  <arg name="test_name" default="" />
-  <arg name="package_name" default="" />
+    <!-- automatically deduce the test name -->
+  <arg name="test_name" default="$(eval arg('this_path').split('/')[-1])" />
+
+    <!-- automatically deduce the package name -->
+  <arg name="import_eval" default="eval('_' + '_import_' + '_')"/>
+  <arg name="package_eval" default="eval(arg('import_eval') + '(\'rospkg\')').get_package_name(arg('this_path'))" />
+  <arg name="package" default="$(eval eval(arg('package_eval')))" />
 
   <!-- params from the CMakeLists build matrix -->
   <arg name="modality" default="" />
@@ -17,7 +22,7 @@
 
   <include file="$(find mrs_multirotor_simulator)/launch/hw_api.launch">
     <arg name="UAV_NAME" default="$(arg UAV_NAME)" />
-    <arg name="custom_config" default="$(arg path)/config/hw_api/hw_api_$(arg modality).yaml" />
+    <arg name="custom_config" default="$(dirname)/config/hw_api/hw_api_$(arg modality).yaml" />
   </include>
 
   <include file="$(find mrs_uav_testing)/launch/mrs_uav_system.launch">
@@ -26,7 +31,7 @@
     <arg name="UAV_NAME" default="$(arg UAV_NAME)" />
   </include>
 
-  <test pkg="$(arg package_name)" type="test_$(arg test_name)" test-name="$(arg test_name)" time-limit="60.0">
+  <test pkg="$(arg package)" type="test_$(arg test_name)" test-name="$(arg test_name)" time-limit="60.0">
     <param name="test" value="$(arg test_name)" />
     <param name="uav_name" value="$(arg UAV_NAME)" />
     <param name="modality" value="$(arg modality)" />
diff --git a/test/modalities/CMakeLists.txt b/test/modalities/CMakeLists.txt
index 022a654..9cb382f 100644
--- a/test/modalities/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/test/modalities/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -36,8 +36,6 @@ foreach(CONTROLLER ${CONTROLLERS})
 
     add_rostest(${TEST_NAME}.test
       ARGS
-      package_name:=${PROJECT_NAME}
-      test_name:=${TEST_NAME}
       controller:=${CONTROLLER}
       modality:=${MODALITY}
       )
diff --git a/test/modalities/modalities.test b/test/modalities/modalities.test
index 9e5358c..0a65a5b 100644
--- a/test/modalities/modalities.test
+++ b/test/modalities/modalities.test
@@ -1,12 +1,17 @@
 <launch>
 
+  <arg name="this_path" default="$(dirname)" />
+
   <arg name="UAV_NAME" default="uav1" />
   <arg name="UAV_TYPE" default="x500" />
 
-  <!-- these will be filled in from the CMakeLists -->
-  <arg name="path" default="$(find mrs_uav_controllers)/test/modalities" />
-  <arg name="test_name" default="" />
-  <arg name="package_name" default="" />
+    <!-- automatically deduce the test name -->
+  <arg name="test_name" default="$(eval arg('this_path').split('/')[-1])" />
+
+    <!-- automatically deduce the package name -->
+  <arg name="import_eval" default="eval('_' + '_import_' + '_')"/>
+  <arg name="package_eval" default="eval(arg('import_eval') + '(\'rospkg\')').get_package_name(arg('this_path'))" />
+  <arg name="package" default="$(eval eval(arg('package_eval')))" />
 
   <!-- params from the CMakeLists build matrix -->
   <arg name="controller" default="" />
@@ -18,17 +23,17 @@
 
   <include file="$(find mrs_multirotor_simulator)/launch/hw_api.launch">
     <arg name="UAV_NAME" default="$(arg UAV_NAME)" />
-    <arg name="custom_config" default="$(arg path)/config/hw_api/hw_api_$(arg modality).yaml" />
+    <arg name="custom_config" default="$(dirname)/config/hw_api/hw_api_$(arg modality).yaml" />
   </include>
 
   <include file="$(find mrs_uav_testing)/launch/mrs_uav_system.launch">
     <arg name="automatic_start" default="false" />
     <arg name="platform_config" default="$(find mrs_multirotor_simulator)/config/mrs_uav_system/$(arg UAV_TYPE).yaml" />
-    <arg name="custom_config" default="$(arg path)/config/custom_config_$(arg controller).yaml" />
+    <arg name="custom_config" default="$(dirname)/config/custom_config_$(arg controller).yaml" />
     <arg name="UAV_NAME" default="$(arg UAV_NAME)" />
   </include>
 
-  <test pkg="$(arg package_name)" type="test_$(arg test_name)" test-name="$(arg test_name)" time-limit="60.0">
+  <test pkg="$(arg package)" type="test_$(arg test_name)" test-name="$(arg test_name)" time-limit="60.0">
     <param name="test" value="$(arg test_name)" />
     <param name="uav_name" value="$(arg UAV_NAME)" />
   </test>