diff --git a/application/application.cpp b/application/application.cpp
index f3c3fe46..638eacdc 100644
--- a/application/application.cpp
+++ b/application/application.cpp
@@ -1200,17 +1200,6 @@ int eu07_application::init_settings(int Argc, char *Argv[])
 {
 	Global.asVersion = VERSION_INFO;
 
-	fs::path iniPath = user_config_path("eu07.ini");
-
-	if (!iniPath.empty() && fs::exists(iniPath))
-	{
-		Global.LoadIniFile(iniPath.string().c_str());
-	}
-	else
-	{
-		Global.LoadIniFile("eu07.ini");
-	}
-
 	// a test run is known before the rest of the command line is read, so a command line it can't take
 	// ends with the error code of the test, not with 0, which would pass it
 	auto const testcommandline{simulation::parse_test_command_line(std::vector<char const *>(Argv, Argv + Argc))};
@@ -1226,6 +1215,19 @@ int eu07_application::init_settings(int Argc, char *Argv[])
 		Global.test.timeout_from_command_line = true;
 	}
 
+	fs::path iniPath = user_config_path("eu07.ini");
+
+	// a test reads the settings of the game folder only (and those given with -ini), not the player's own
+	// (%APPDATA%/MaSzyna, ~/.config/MaSzyna), so it runs the same for whoever runs it
+	if (false == Global.test.enabled && !iniPath.empty() && fs::exists(iniPath))
+	{
+		Global.LoadIniFile(iniPath.string().c_str());
+	}
+	else
+	{
+		Global.LoadIniFile("eu07.ini");
+	}
+
 	// process command line arguments
 	bool sceneryfromcommandline{false};
 	bool editwithoutscenery{false};
diff --git a/tests/scenarios/README.md b/tests/scenarios/README.md
index acab07e7..ca45dc34 100644
--- a/tests/scenarios/README.md
+++ b/tests/scenarios/README.md
@@ -19,6 +19,9 @@ eu07 --test -s <scenery.scn> [--test-timeout <seconds>] [-seed <number|word>] [-
 With `--test` the simulator:
 
 - needs `-s`; `-v` is ignored and every train is driven by AI (ghostview),
+- reads the settings of the game folder's `eu07.ini` and of the files given with `-ini` (in that
+  order), not the player's own `eu07.ini` in `%APPDATA%\MaSzyna` (`~/.config/MaSzyna` on Linux),
+  so a test runs the same for whoever runs it,
 - draws nothing: the null renderer loads the 3D models (the physics needs some of their
   data) but no textures, and the window stays hidden,
 - has no sound, no network, no python, no pause (not even one set by the scenery), and
diff --git a/tests/scenarios/run.py b/tests/scenarios/run.py
index 886e2e90..9cc6f84a 100644
--- a/tests/scenarios/run.py
+++ b/tests/scenarios/run.py
@@ -62,7 +62,8 @@ EXIT_RESULTS = {
     14: "error",
 }
 
-# settings layered over the user's eu07.ini for a test run; the window ones only matter
+# settings layered over the game's eu07.ini for a test run (test mode doesn't read the player's own
+# in %APPDATA%); the window ones only matter
 # with --watch, test mode keeps its window hidden and turns the sound off by itself
 TEST_INI = """\
 fullscreen no