diff --git a/runtests b/runtests
index 873b7cc8..acd377e1 100755
--- a/runtests
+++ b/runtests
@@ -10,6 +10,8 @@ TESTS_CLIENT="tests-client"
 TESTS_SERVER="tests-server"
 TEST_FILES=""
 SUB_FOLDERS=""
+TEST_LIST_FILE="/tmp/tests"
+OLD_IFS=""
 
 usage() {
   cat << _EOF
@@ -100,6 +102,8 @@ runcmdfile() {
   local logfile=$2
   local subfolder=""
   local file_type=""
+  local lines=""
+  local line=""
 
   if [[ "$cmdfile" == *"/"* ]]; then
     subfolder=${cmdfile%/*}
@@ -107,13 +111,14 @@ runcmdfile() {
     echo "cmdfile:$cmdfile(no '/') is not in a subfolder!"
   fi
 
-  while read -r line; do
-    if grep -Eq "^#.*" <<< "$line" || grep -Eq "^$" <<< "$line"; then
-      continue
-    fi
-
+  grep -v "^#.*" "$cmdfile" | grep -v "^$" > "$TEST_LIST_FILE"
+  lines=$(cat $TEST_LIST_FILE)
+  OLD_IFS="$IFS"
+  IFS=$'\n'
+  for line in $lines; do
     runtest "$line" "$logfile" "$subfolder"
-  done < "$cmdfile"
+  done
+  IFS="$OLD_IFS"
 }
 
 prepare_files_list() {