diff --git a/cmd/tools/modules/testing/common.v b/cmd/tools/modules/testing/common.v
index 8835d56bbf..a3b17dff98 100644
--- a/cmd/tools/modules/testing/common.v
+++ b/cmd/tools/modules/testing/common.v
@@ -8,6 +8,13 @@ import (
 	v.pref
 )
 
+pub struct TestMessageHandler {
+pub mut:
+	messages []string
+	message_idx int
+	mtx &sync.Mutex
+}
+
 pub struct TestSession {
 pub mut:
 	files         []string
@@ -18,10 +25,11 @@ pub mut:
 	failed        bool
 	benchmark     benchmark.Benchmark
 	show_ok_tests bool
+	message_handler &TestMessageHandler
 }
 
 pub fn new_test_session(_vargs string) TestSession {
-    mut skip_files := []string
+	mut skip_files := []string
 	skip_files << '_non_existing_'
 	$if solaris {
 		skip_files << "examples/gg/gg2.v"
@@ -41,7 +49,7 @@ pub fn new_test_session(_vargs string) TestSession {
 }
 
 pub fn (ts mut TestSession) init() {
-	ts.benchmark = benchmark.new_benchmark()
+	ts.benchmark = benchmark.new_benchmark_no_cstep()
 }
 
 pub fn (ts mut TestSession) test() {
@@ -79,6 +87,10 @@ pub fn (ts mut TestSession) test() {
 	mut pool_of_test_runners := sync.new_pool_processor(sync.PoolProcessorConfig{
 		callback: worker_trunner
 	})
+	// for handling messages across threads
+	ts.message_handler = &TestMessageHandler{
+		mtx: sync.new_mutex()
+	}
 	pool_of_test_runners.set_shared_context(ts)
 	$if msvc {
 		// NB: MSVC can not be launched in parallel, without giving it
@@ -93,8 +105,25 @@ pub fn (ts mut TestSession) test() {
 	eprintln(term.h_divider('-'))
 }
 
+fn next_message(m mut TestMessageHandler) {
+	m.mtx.lock()
+	defer {
+		m.messages.clear()
+		m.mtx.unlock()
+	}
+	for msg in m.messages {
+		m.message_idx++
+		eprintln(msg.
+			replace("TMP1", "${m.message_idx:1d}").
+			replace("TMP2", "${m.message_idx:2d}").
+			replace("TMP3", "${m.message_idx:3d}")
+		)
+	}
+}
+
 fn worker_trunner(p mut sync.PoolProcessor, idx int, thread_id int) voidptr {
 	mut ts := &TestSession(p.get_shared_context())
+	defer { next_message(ts.message_handler) }
 	tmpd := os.temp_dir()
 	show_stats := '-stats' in ts.vargs.split(' ')
 	// tls_bench is used to format the step messages/timings
@@ -104,7 +133,7 @@ fn worker_trunner(p mut sync.PoolProcessor, idx int, thread_id int) voidptr {
 		tls_bench.set_total_expected_steps(ts.benchmark.nexpected_steps)
 		p.set_thread_context(idx, tls_bench)
 	}
-	tls_bench.cstep = idx
+	tls_bench.no_cstep = true
 	dot_relative_file := p.get_string_item(idx)
 	relative_file := dot_relative_file.replace(ts.vroot + os.path_separator, '').replace('./', '')
 	file := os.real_path(relative_file)
@@ -127,11 +156,11 @@ fn worker_trunner(p mut sync.PoolProcessor, idx int, thread_id int) voidptr {
 	if relative_file.replace('\\', '/') in ts.skip_files {
 	   ts.benchmark.skip()
 	   tls_bench.skip()
-	   eprintln(tls_bench.step_message_skip(relative_file))
+	   ts.message_handler.messages << tls_bench.step_message_skip(relative_file)
 	   return sync.no_result
 	}
 	if show_stats {
-		eprintln(term.h_divider('-'))
+		ts.message_handler.messages << term.h_divider('-')
 		status := os.system(cmd)
 		if status == 0 {
 			ts.benchmark.ok()
@@ -149,20 +178,20 @@ fn worker_trunner(p mut sync.PoolProcessor, idx int, thread_id int) voidptr {
 			ts.failed = true
 			ts.benchmark.fail()
 			tls_bench.fail()
-			eprintln(tls_bench.step_message_fail(relative_file))
+			ts.message_handler.messages << tls_bench.step_message_fail(relative_file)
 			return sync.no_result
 		}
 		if r.exit_code != 0 {
 			ts.failed = true
 			ts.benchmark.fail()
 			tls_bench.fail()
-			eprintln(tls_bench.step_message_fail('${relative_file}\n$r.output\n'))
+			ts.message_handler.messages << tls_bench.step_message_fail('${relative_file}\n$r.output\n')
 		}
 		else {
 			ts.benchmark.ok()
 			tls_bench.ok()
 			if ts.show_ok_tests {
-				eprintln(tls_bench.step_message_ok(relative_file))
+				ts.message_handler.messages << tls_bench.step_message_ok(relative_file)
 			}
 		}
 	}
diff --git a/vlib/benchmark/benchmark.v b/vlib/benchmark/benchmark.v
index 9d8bf4795e..6702d9f7ca 100644
--- a/vlib/benchmark/benchmark.v
+++ b/vlib/benchmark/benchmark.v
@@ -65,6 +65,7 @@ pub mut:
 	verbose          bool
 	nexpected_steps  int
 	cstep            int
+	no_cstep         bool
 	bok              string
 	bfail            string
 }
@@ -76,6 +77,14 @@ pub fn new_benchmark() Benchmark {
 	}
 }
 
+pub fn new_benchmark_no_cstep() Benchmark {
+	return Benchmark{
+		bench_start_time: benchmark.now()
+		verbose: true
+		no_cstep: true
+	}
+}
+
 pub fn new_benchmark_pointer() &Benchmark {
 	return &Benchmark{
 		bench_start_time: benchmark.now()
@@ -93,7 +102,9 @@ pub fn (b mut Benchmark) stop() {
 
 pub fn (b mut Benchmark) step() {
 	b.step_start_time = benchmark.now()
-	b.cstep++
+	if !b.no_cstep {
+		b.cstep++
+	}
 }
 
 pub fn (b mut Benchmark) fail() {
@@ -149,13 +160,19 @@ pub fn (b &Benchmark) step_message_with_label(label string, msg string) string {
 	if b.nexpected_steps > 0 {
 		mut sprogress := ''
 		if b.nexpected_steps < 10 {
-			sprogress = '${b.cstep:1d}/${b.nexpected_steps:1d}'
+			sprogress = if b.no_cstep { 'TMP1/${b.nexpected_steps:1d}' } else {
+				'${b.cstep:1d}/${b.nexpected_steps:1d}'
+			}
 		}
 		if b.nexpected_steps >= 10 && b.nexpected_steps < 100 {
-			sprogress = '${b.cstep:2d}/${b.nexpected_steps:2d}'
+			sprogress = if b.no_cstep { 'TMP2/${b.nexpected_steps:2d}' } else {
+				'${b.cstep:2d}/${b.nexpected_steps:2d}'
+			}
 		}
 		if b.nexpected_steps >= 100 && b.nexpected_steps < 1000 {
-			sprogress = '${b.cstep:3d}/${b.nexpected_steps:3d}'
+			sprogress = if b.no_cstep { 'TMP3/${b.nexpected_steps:3d}' } else {
+				'${b.cstep:3d}/${b.nexpected_steps:3d}'
+			}
 		}
 		timed_line = b.tdiff_in_ms('[${sprogress}] $msg', b.step_start_time, b.step_end_time)
 	}