diff --git a/tests/run_test.sh b/tests/run_test.sh
new file mode 100755
index 0000000..0d251d2
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/run_test.sh
@@ -0,0 +1,7 @@
+#!/bin/sh
+
+export BASENAME=$1
+export TESTCASE=$2
+export DEVICEUSER=$(getent passwd $(grep '^UID_MIN' /etc/login.defs |  tr -s ' ' | cut -d ' ' -f2) | sed 's/:.*//')
+export LIBCONTACTS_TEST_MODE=1
+/usr/sbin/run-blts-root /bin/su -g privileged -c "/opt/tests/$BASENAME/contacts/$TESTCASE" "$DEVICEUSER"
diff --git a/tests/tests.pro b/tests/tests.pro
index f064bdf..4f63a2e 100644
--- a/tests/tests.pro
+++ b/tests/tests.pro
@@ -9,6 +9,8 @@ SUBDIRS = \
           tst_seasidefilteredmodel \
           tst_seasidestringlistcompressor
 
+OTHER_FILES += $$PWD/tests.xml.in $$PWD/run_test.sh
+
 tests_xml.target = tests.xml
 tests_xml.depends = $$PWD/tests.xml.in
 tests_xml.commands = sed -e "s:@BASENAME@:$${BASENAME}:g" $< > $@
@@ -19,7 +21,7 @@ QMAKE_CLEAN += $$tests_xml.target
 PRE_TARGETDEPS += $$tests_xml.target
 
 tests_install.path = /opt/tests/$${BASENAME}/contacts/
-tests_install.files = $$tests_xml.target
+tests_install.files = $$tests_xml.target $$PWD/run_test.sh
 tests_install.depends = tests_xml
 tests_install.CONFIG += no_check_exist
 
diff --git a/tests/tests.xml.in b/tests/tests.xml.in
index 1f84194..7b6a1cb 100644
--- a/tests/tests.xml.in
+++ b/tests/tests.xml.in
@@ -5,13 +5,16 @@
        <set name="contactcache-test0" feature="Contacts">
            <description>Contact cache automatic tests</description>
            <case manual="false" name="synchronizelists">
-               <step>LIBCONTACTS_TEST_MODE=1 /usr/sbin/run-blts-root /bin/su -g privileged -c '/opt/tests/@PACKAGENAME@/tst_synchronizelists' nemo</step>
+               <step>/opt/tests/@BASENAME@/contacts/run_test.sh @BASENAME@ tst_synchronizelists</step>
            </case>
            <case manual="false" name="seasideimport">
-               <step>LIBCONTACTS_TEST_MODE=1 /usr/sbin/run-blts-root /bin/su -g privileged -c '/opt/tests/@PACKAGENAME@/tst_seasideimport' nemo</step>
+               <step>/opt/tests/@BASENAME@/contacts/run_test.sh @BASENAME@ tst_seasideimport</step>
            </case>
            <case manual="false" name="resolve">
-               <step>LIBCONTACTS_TEST_MODE=1 /usr/sbin/run-blts-root /bin/su -g privileged -c '/opt/tests/@PACKAGENAME@/tst_resolve' nemo</step>
+               <step>/opt/tests/@BASENAME@/contacts/run_test.sh @BASENAME@ tst_resolve</step>
+           </case>
+           <case manual="false" name="seasidestringlistcompressor">
+               <step>/opt/tests/@BASENAME@/contacts/run_test.sh @BASENAME@ tst_seasidestringlistcompressor</step>
            </case>
        </set>
    </suite>
@@ -20,10 +23,10 @@
        <set name="@BASENAME@-contacts-test0" feature="QML Contacts">
            <description>Contacts QML plugin automatic tests</description>
            <case manual="false" name="seasideperson" timeout="600">
-               <step>/opt/tests/@BASENAME@/contacts/tst_seasideperson</step>
+               <step>/opt/tests/@BASENAME@/contacts/run_test.sh @BASENAME@ tst_seasideperson</step>
            </case>
            <case manual="false" name="seasidefilteredmodel">
-               <step>/opt/tests/@BASENAME@/contacts/tst_seasidefilteredmodel</step>
+               <step>/opt/tests/@BASENAME@/contacts/run_test.sh @BASENAME@ tst_seasidefilteredmodel</step>
            </case>
        </set>
    </suite>
diff --git a/tests/tst_seasidefilteredmodel/tst_seasidefilteredmodel.cpp b/tests/tst_seasidefilteredmodel/tst_seasidefilteredmodel.cpp
index 3e9253d..040360f 100644
--- a/tests/tst_seasidefilteredmodel/tst_seasidefilteredmodel.cpp
+++ b/tests/tst_seasidefilteredmodel/tst_seasidefilteredmodel.cpp
@@ -547,21 +547,23 @@ void tst_SeasideFilteredModel::filterCharacters()
         QSKIP("Character matching is not testable with unknown locale");
     }
 
-    // 1 2 3 4
+    // 1 2 3 4 5 - note that Ælvis will match due to NameDetails.Contains match rule with diacritic decomposition
     model.setFilterPattern("Elvis");
-    QCOMPARE(model.rowCount(), 4);
+    QCOMPARE(model.rowCount(), 5);
     QCOMPARE(model.index(QModelIndex(), 0, 0).data(SeasideFilteredModel::ContactIdRole).toInt(), 1);
     QCOMPARE(model.index(QModelIndex(), 1, 0).data(SeasideFilteredModel::ContactIdRole).toInt(), 2);
     QCOMPARE(model.index(QModelIndex(), 2, 0).data(SeasideFilteredModel::ContactIdRole).toInt(), 3);
     QCOMPARE(model.index(QModelIndex(), 3, 0).data(SeasideFilteredModel::ContactIdRole).toInt(), 4);
+    QCOMPARE(model.index(QModelIndex(), 4, 0).data(SeasideFilteredModel::ContactIdRole).toInt(), 5);
 
-    // 1 2 3 4
+    // 1 2 3 4 5 - note that Ælvis will match due to NameDetails.Contains match rule with diacritic decomposition
     model.setFilterPattern("elvis");
-    QCOMPARE(model.rowCount(), 4);
+    QCOMPARE(model.rowCount(), 5);
     QCOMPARE(model.index(QModelIndex(), 0, 0).data(SeasideFilteredModel::ContactIdRole).toInt(), 1);
     QCOMPARE(model.index(QModelIndex(), 1, 0).data(SeasideFilteredModel::ContactIdRole).toInt(), 2);
     QCOMPARE(model.index(QModelIndex(), 2, 0).data(SeasideFilteredModel::ContactIdRole).toInt(), 3);
     QCOMPARE(model.index(QModelIndex(), 3, 0).data(SeasideFilteredModel::ContactIdRole).toInt(), 4);
+    QCOMPARE(model.index(QModelIndex(), 4, 0).data(SeasideFilteredModel::ContactIdRole).toInt(), 5);
 
     // 3
     model.setFilterPattern(QString::fromUtf8(u8"\u00CBlvis")); // 'Ëlvis'
diff --git a/tests/tst_seasideperson/tst_seasideperson.cpp b/tests/tst_seasideperson/tst_seasideperson.cpp
index 9306ebe..f82e89e 100644
--- a/tests/tst_seasideperson/tst_seasideperson.cpp
+++ b/tests/tst_seasideperson/tst_seasideperson.cpp
@@ -160,7 +160,10 @@ void tst_SeasidePerson::sectionBucket()
     QSignalSpy spy(person.data(), SIGNAL(displayLabelChanged()));
     QCOMPARE(person->displayLabel(), SeasidePerson::placeholderDisplayLabel());
     QCOMPARE(spy.count(), 0);
-    QCOMPARE(person->sectionBucket(), QString());
+    // ignore the placeholder id if necessary.  unit tests don't load translation catalogues.
+    if (person->displayLabel() != QStringLiteral("nemo_contacts-la-placeholder_display_label")) {
+        QCOMPARE(person->sectionBucket(), QString());
+    }
 
     // set first
     person->setLastName("Test");