diff --git a/tests/direct.cpp b/tests/direct.cpp
index a4c4ee8c3..a9b0010a9 100644
--- a/tests/direct.cpp
+++ b/tests/direct.cpp
@@ -1,31 +1,31 @@
 #include "main.h"
 
 TEST_CASE("DirectMode") {
-  // common initialization
-  if(getenv("TERM") == nullptr){
+  struct ncdirect* nc_ = ncdirect_init(NULL, stderr);
+  if(!nc_){
     return;
   }
-  FILE* outfp_ = fopen("/dev/tty", "wb");
-  REQUIRE(nullptr != outfp_);
-  struct ncdirect* nc_ = ncdirect_init(NULL, outfp_);
-  REQUIRE(nullptr != nc_);
 
   SUBCASE("SetItalic") {
     CHECK(0 == ncdirect_styles_set(nc_, NCSTYLE_ITALIC));
+    printf("DirectMode *italic*!\n");
+    fflush(stdout);
     CHECK(0 == ncdirect_styles_off(nc_, NCSTYLE_ITALIC));
   }
 
   SUBCASE("SetBold") {
     CHECK(0 == ncdirect_styles_set(nc_, NCSTYLE_BOLD));
+    printf("DirectMode *bold*!\n");
+    fflush(stdout);
     CHECK(0 == ncdirect_styles_off(nc_, NCSTYLE_BOLD));
   }
 
   SUBCASE("SetUnderline") {
     CHECK(0 == ncdirect_styles_set(nc_, NCSTYLE_UNDERLINE));
+    printf("DirectMode *underline*!\n");
+    fflush(stdout);
     CHECK(0 == ncdirect_styles_off(nc_, NCSTYLE_UNDERLINE));
   }
 
-  // common teardown
   CHECK(0 == ncdirect_stop(nc_));
-  CHECK(0 == fclose(outfp_));
 }