diff --git a/tests/unit/test_address_sanitizer.cpp b/tests/unit/test_address_sanitizer.cpp
index 4e520dcbd..fd3985dc0 100644
--- a/tests/unit/test_address_sanitizer.cpp
+++ b/tests/unit/test_address_sanitizer.cpp
@@ -30,7 +30,6 @@
 
 #include "test_util.h"
 
-#ifdef ENABLE_TEST_MAIN
 int main(int argc, char *argv[])
 {
     (void)argv;
@@ -46,4 +45,3 @@ int main(int argc, char *argv[])
 
     return 0;
 }
-#endif
diff --git a/tests/unit/test_aes.cpp b/tests/unit/test_aes.cpp
index c42bc9dbc..61e856de5 100644
--- a/tests/unit/test_aes.cpp
+++ b/tests/unit/test_aes.cpp
@@ -134,7 +134,6 @@ void TestMacCommandFrame()
     VerifyOrQuit(memcmp(test, decrypted, sizeof(decrypted)) == 0, "TestMacCommandFrame decrypt failed\n");
 }
 
-#ifdef ENABLE_TEST_MAIN
 int main(void)
 {
     TestMacBeaconFrame();
@@ -142,4 +141,3 @@ int main(void)
     printf("All tests passed\n");
     return 0;
 }
-#endif
diff --git a/tests/unit/test_child.cpp b/tests/unit/test_child.cpp
index f1dbdb154..06ac80194 100644
--- a/tests/unit/test_child.cpp
+++ b/tests/unit/test_child.cpp
@@ -258,11 +258,9 @@ void TestChildIp6Address(void)
 
 } // namespace ot
 
-#ifdef ENABLE_TEST_MAIN
 int main(void)
 {
     ot::TestChildIp6Address();
     printf("\nAll tests passed.\n");
     return 0;
 }
-#endif
diff --git a/tests/unit/test_child_table.cpp b/tests/unit/test_child_table.cpp
index f33589eb2..7b670d72b 100644
--- a/tests/unit/test_child_table.cpp
+++ b/tests/unit/test_child_table.cpp
@@ -402,11 +402,9 @@ void TestChildTable(void)
 
 } // namespace ot
 
-#ifdef ENABLE_TEST_MAIN
 int main(void)
 {
     ot::TestChildTable();
     printf("\nAll tests passed.\n");
     return 0;
 }
-#endif
diff --git a/tests/unit/test_hdlc.cpp b/tests/unit/test_hdlc.cpp
index c90a32648..a4785316d 100644
--- a/tests/unit/test_hdlc.cpp
+++ b/tests/unit/test_hdlc.cpp
@@ -571,7 +571,6 @@ void TestFuzzEncoderDecoder(void)
 } // namespace Ncp
 } // namespace ot
 
-#ifdef ENABLE_TEST_MAIN
 int main(void)
 {
     ot::Ncp::TestHdlcFrameBuffer();
@@ -581,4 +580,3 @@ int main(void)
     printf("\nAll tests passed.\n");
     return 0;
 }
-#endif
diff --git a/tests/unit/test_heap.cpp b/tests/unit/test_heap.cpp
index d329e6b22..ccb9cd1e9 100644
--- a/tests/unit/test_heap.cpp
+++ b/tests/unit/test_heap.cpp
@@ -172,11 +172,9 @@ void RunTimerTests(void)
     TestAllocateMultiple();
 }
 
-#ifdef ENABLE_TEST_MAIN
 int main(void)
 {
     RunTimerTests();
     printf("All tests passed\n");
     return 0;
 }
-#endif
diff --git a/tests/unit/test_hmac_sha256.cpp b/tests/unit/test_hmac_sha256.cpp
index 65c02f4c9..fde654c41 100644
--- a/tests/unit/test_hmac_sha256.cpp
+++ b/tests/unit/test_hmac_sha256.cpp
@@ -80,11 +80,9 @@ void TestHmacSha256(void)
     testFreeInstance(instance);
 }
 
-#ifdef ENABLE_TEST_MAIN
 int main(void)
 {
     TestHmacSha256();
     printf("All tests passed\n");
     return 0;
 }
-#endif
diff --git a/tests/unit/test_ip6_address.cpp b/tests/unit/test_ip6_address.cpp
index fa1d002a8..81340e827 100644
--- a/tests/unit/test_ip6_address.cpp
+++ b/tests/unit/test_ip6_address.cpp
@@ -204,11 +204,9 @@ void TestIp6AddressFromString(void)
     }
 }
 
-#ifdef ENABLE_TEST_MAIN
 int main(void)
 {
     TestIp6AddressFromString();
     printf("All tests passed\n");
     return 0;
 }
-#endif
diff --git a/tests/unit/test_link_quality.cpp b/tests/unit/test_link_quality.cpp
index 39d30cb31..d86a0fd0a 100644
--- a/tests/unit/test_link_quality.cpp
+++ b/tests/unit/test_link_quality.cpp
@@ -486,7 +486,6 @@ void TestSuccessRateTracker(void)
 
 } // namespace ot
 
-#ifdef ENABLE_TEST_MAIN
 int main(void)
 {
     ot::TestRssAveraging();
@@ -495,4 +494,3 @@ int main(void)
     printf("\nAll tests passed\n");
     return 0;
 }
-#endif
diff --git a/tests/unit/test_linked_list.cpp b/tests/unit/test_linked_list.cpp
index 5b915735d..3e9cb6458 100644
--- a/tests/unit/test_linked_list.cpp
+++ b/tests/unit/test_linked_list.cpp
@@ -142,11 +142,9 @@ void TestLinkedList(void)
     VerifyLinkedListContent(list, NULL);
 }
 
-#ifdef ENABLE_TEST_MAIN
 int main(void)
 {
     TestLinkedList();
     printf("All tests passed\n");
     return 0;
 }
-#endif
diff --git a/tests/unit/test_lowpan.cpp b/tests/unit/test_lowpan.cpp
index 278405835..bab602d20 100644
--- a/tests/unit/test_lowpan.cpp
+++ b/tests/unit/test_lowpan.cpp
@@ -1841,7 +1841,6 @@ void TestLowpanIphc(void)
 
 } // namespace ot
 
-#ifdef ENABLE_TEST_MAIN
 int main(void)
 {
     TestLowpanIphc();
@@ -1849,4 +1848,3 @@ int main(void)
     printf("All tests passed\n");
     return 0;
 }
-#endif
diff --git a/tests/unit/test_mac_frame.cpp b/tests/unit/test_mac_frame.cpp
index 5a91d62c5..d55fcd148 100644
--- a/tests/unit/test_mac_frame.cpp
+++ b/tests/unit/test_mac_frame.cpp
@@ -408,7 +408,6 @@ void TestMacChannelMask(void)
 
 } // namespace ot
 
-#ifdef ENABLE_TEST_MAIN
 int main(void)
 {
     ot::TestMacAddress();
@@ -418,4 +417,3 @@ int main(void)
     printf("All tests passed\n");
     return 0;
 }
-#endif
diff --git a/tests/unit/test_message.cpp b/tests/unit/test_message.cpp
index 8b40b8b65..f078eaaec 100644
--- a/tests/unit/test_message.cpp
+++ b/tests/unit/test_message.cpp
@@ -63,11 +63,9 @@ void TestMessage(void)
     testFreeInstance(instance);
 }
 
-#ifdef ENABLE_TEST_MAIN
 int main(void)
 {
     TestMessage();
     printf("All tests passed\n");
     return 0;
 }
-#endif
diff --git a/tests/unit/test_message_queue.cpp b/tests/unit/test_message_queue.cpp
index b5c319190..0f4dece11 100644
--- a/tests/unit/test_message_queue.cpp
+++ b/tests/unit/test_message_queue.cpp
@@ -294,7 +294,6 @@ void TestMessageQueueOtApis(void)
     testFreeInstance(sInstance);
 }
 
-#ifdef ENABLE_TEST_MAIN
 int main(void)
 {
     TestMessageQueue();
@@ -302,4 +301,3 @@ int main(void)
     printf("All tests passed\n");
     return 0;
 }
-#endif
diff --git a/tests/unit/test_ncp_buffer.cpp b/tests/unit/test_ncp_buffer.cpp
index ea25309fc..97368a800 100644
--- a/tests/unit/test_ncp_buffer.cpp
+++ b/tests/unit/test_ncp_buffer.cpp
@@ -1098,7 +1098,6 @@ void TestFuzzNcpFrameBuffer(void)
 } // namespace Ncp
 } // namespace ot
 
-#ifdef ENABLE_TEST_MAIN
 int main(void)
 {
     ot::Ncp::TestNcpFrameBuffer();
@@ -1106,4 +1105,3 @@ int main(void)
     printf("\nAll tests passed.\n");
     return 0;
 }
-#endif
diff --git a/tests/unit/test_network_data.cpp b/tests/unit/test_network_data.cpp
index c58e6b240..cddb34479 100644
--- a/tests/unit/test_network_data.cpp
+++ b/tests/unit/test_network_data.cpp
@@ -175,7 +175,6 @@ void TestNetworkDataIterator(void)
 } // namespace NetworkData
 } // namespace ot
 
-#ifdef ENABLE_TEST_MAIN
 int main(void)
 {
     ot::NetworkData::TestNetworkDataIterator();
@@ -183,4 +182,3 @@ int main(void)
     printf("\nAll tests passed\n");
     return 0;
 }
-#endif
diff --git a/tests/unit/test_priority_queue.cpp b/tests/unit/test_priority_queue.cpp
index 0d868cf04..1568df37c 100644
--- a/tests/unit/test_priority_queue.cpp
+++ b/tests/unit/test_priority_queue.cpp
@@ -323,11 +323,9 @@ void TestPriorityQueue(void)
     testFreeInstance(instance);
 }
 
-#ifdef ENABLE_TEST_MAIN
 int main(void)
 {
     TestPriorityQueue();
     printf("All tests passed\n");
     return 0;
 }
-#endif
diff --git a/tests/unit/test_pskc.cpp b/tests/unit/test_pskc.cpp
index 3f58e6da4..bc0d3cb43 100644
--- a/tests/unit/test_pskc.cpp
+++ b/tests/unit/test_pskc.cpp
@@ -82,7 +82,6 @@ void TestMaximumPassphrase(void)
     testFreeInstance(instance);
 }
 
-#ifdef ENABLE_TEST_MAIN
 int main(void)
 {
     TestMinimumPassphrase();
@@ -90,16 +89,13 @@ int main(void)
     printf("All tests passed\n");
     return 0;
 }
-#endif
 
 #else // #if OPENTHREAD_CONFIG_COMMISSIONER_ENABLE
 
-#ifdef ENABLE_TEST_MAIN
 int main(void)
 {
     printf("Commissioenr role disabled\n");
     return 0;
 }
-#endif
 
 #endif // #if OPENTHREAD_CONFIG_COMMISSIONER_ENABLE
diff --git a/tests/unit/test_spinel_decoder.cpp b/tests/unit/test_spinel_decoder.cpp
index 4af4f9fe5..8be50de61 100644
--- a/tests/unit/test_spinel_decoder.cpp
+++ b/tests/unit/test_spinel_decoder.cpp
@@ -684,11 +684,9 @@ void TestSpinelDecoder(void)
 } // namespace Ncp
 } // namespace ot
 
-#ifdef ENABLE_TEST_MAIN
 int main(void)
 {
     ot::Ncp::TestSpinelDecoder();
     printf("\nAll tests passed.\n");
     return 0;
 }
-#endif
diff --git a/tests/unit/test_spinel_encoder.cpp b/tests/unit/test_spinel_encoder.cpp
index b19a825d6..cedb598c7 100644
--- a/tests/unit/test_spinel_encoder.cpp
+++ b/tests/unit/test_spinel_encoder.cpp
@@ -403,11 +403,9 @@ void TestSpinelEncoder(void)
 } // namespace Ncp
 } // namespace ot
 
-#ifdef ENABLE_TEST_MAIN
 int main(void)
 {
     ot::Ncp::TestSpinelEncoder();
     printf("\nAll tests passed.\n");
     return 0;
 }
-#endif
diff --git a/tests/unit/test_string.cpp b/tests/unit/test_string.cpp
index 1967aaacc..b7847887d 100644
--- a/tests/unit/test_string.cpp
+++ b/tests/unit/test_string.cpp
@@ -119,11 +119,9 @@ void TestString(void)
 
 } // namespace ot
 
-#ifdef ENABLE_TEST_MAIN
 int main(void)
 {
     ot::TestString();
     printf("\nAll tests passed.\n");
     return 0;
 }
-#endif
diff --git a/tests/unit/test_timer.cpp b/tests/unit/test_timer.cpp
index 0c53b3f87..9b868710a 100644
--- a/tests/unit/test_timer.cpp
+++ b/tests/unit/test_timer.cpp
@@ -657,7 +657,6 @@ void RunTimerTests(void)
     TestTenTimers();
 }
 
-#ifdef ENABLE_TEST_MAIN
 int main(void)
 {
     RunTimerTests();
@@ -665,4 +664,3 @@ int main(void)
     printf("All tests passed\n");
     return 0;
 }
-#endif
diff --git a/tests/unit/test_toolchain.cpp b/tests/unit/test_toolchain.cpp
index 48f503bc3..07878817e 100644
--- a/tests/unit/test_toolchain.cpp
+++ b/tests/unit/test_toolchain.cpp
@@ -124,11 +124,9 @@ void TestToolchain(void)
     test_addr_bitfield();
 }
 
-#ifdef ENABLE_TEST_MAIN
 int main(void)
 {
     TestToolchain();
     printf("All tests passed\n");
     return 0;
 }
-#endif
diff --git a/tests/unit/test_util.h b/tests/unit/test_util.h
index 112641959..44d52627b 100644
--- a/tests/unit/test_util.h
+++ b/tests/unit/test_util.h
@@ -36,9 +36,6 @@
 extern "C" {
 #endif
 
-// Enable main functions
-#define ENABLE_TEST_MAIN
-
 /**
  * This macro verifies a given error status to be successful (compared against value zero (0)), otherwise, it emits a
  * given error messages and exits the program.