diff --git a/CMakeLists.txt b/CMakeLists.txt
index 6b21988535..c28cf726fc 100644
--- a/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -792,6 +792,10 @@ if(openPMD_BUILD_TESTING)
                 test/Files_ParallelIO/read_variablebased_randomaccess.cpp
                 test/Files_ParallelIO/iterate_nonstreaming_series.cpp
             )
+        elseif(${test_name} STREQUAL "Core")
+            list(APPEND ${out_list}
+                test/Files_Core/automatic_variable_encoding.cpp
+            )
         endif()
     endmacro()
 
diff --git a/test/CoreTest.cpp b/test/CoreTest.cpp
index eedffef598..140851d34e 100644
--- a/test/CoreTest.cpp
+++ b/test/CoreTest.cpp
@@ -5,6 +5,8 @@
 #endif
 #include "openPMD/openPMD.hpp"
 
+#include "Files_Core/CoreTests.hpp"
+
 #include "openPMD/IO/ADIOS/macros.hpp"
 #include "openPMD/auxiliary/Filesystem.hpp"
 #include "openPMD/auxiliary/JSON.hpp"
@@ -1498,338 +1500,10 @@ TEST_CASE("unavailable_backend", "[core]")
 #endif
 }
 
-void breakpoint()
-{}
-
-#if openPMD_HAVE_ADIOS2
 TEST_CASE("automatic_variable_encoding", "[adios2]")
 {
-    size_t filename_counter = 0;
-    auto filename = [&filename_counter]() {
-        std::stringstream res;
-        res << "../samples/automatic_variable_encoding/test_no_"
-            << filename_counter << ".bp5";
-        return res.str();
-    };
-    auto next_filename = [&filename_counter, &filename]() {
-        ++filename_counter;
-        return filename();
-    };
-    auto require_encoding = [&filename](IterationEncoding ie) {
-        Series read(filename(), openPMD::Access::READ_RANDOM_ACCESS);
-        REQUIRE(read.iterationEncoding() == ie);
-    };
-
-    // TESTS
-
-    {
-        Series write(next_filename(), Access::CREATE);
-        write.close();
-        require_encoding(IterationEncoding::groupBased);
-    }
-
-    {
-        Series write(next_filename(), Access::CREATE);
-        write.snapshots(SnapshotWorkflow::RandomAccess);
-        write.close();
-        require_encoding(IterationEncoding::groupBased);
-    }
-
-    {
-        Series write(next_filename(), Access::CREATE);
-        write.snapshots(SnapshotWorkflow::Synchronous);
-        write.close();
-        require_encoding(IterationEncoding::variableBased);
-    }
-
-    {
-        Series write(next_filename(), Access::CREATE);
-        write.flush();
-        write.snapshots(SnapshotWorkflow::RandomAccess);
-        write.close();
-        require_encoding(IterationEncoding::groupBased);
-    }
-
-    {
-        Series write(next_filename(), Access::CREATE);
-        write.flush();
-        write.snapshots(SnapshotWorkflow::Synchronous);
-        write.close();
-        require_encoding(IterationEncoding::groupBased);
-    }
-
-    // explicitly set variable encoding
-
-    {
-        Series write(
-            next_filename(),
-            Access::CREATE,
-            R"(iteration_encoding = "variable_based")");
-        write.close();
-        require_encoding(IterationEncoding::variableBased);
-    }
-
-    {
-        Series write(
-            next_filename(),
-            Access::CREATE,
-            R"(iteration_encoding = "variable_based")");
-        write.snapshots(SnapshotWorkflow::RandomAccess);
-        write.close();
-        require_encoding(IterationEncoding::variableBased);
-    }
-
-    {
-        Series write(
-            next_filename(),
-            Access::CREATE,
-            R"(iteration_encoding = "variable_based")");
-        write.snapshots(SnapshotWorkflow::Synchronous);
-        write.close();
-        require_encoding(IterationEncoding::variableBased);
-    }
-
-    {
-        Series write(
-            next_filename(),
-            Access::CREATE,
-            R"(iteration_encoding = "variable_based")");
-        write.flush();
-        write.snapshots(SnapshotWorkflow::RandomAccess);
-        write.close();
-        require_encoding(IterationEncoding::variableBased);
-    }
-
-    {
-        Series write(
-            next_filename(),
-            Access::CREATE,
-            R"(iteration_encoding = "variable_based")");
-        write.flush();
-        write.snapshots(SnapshotWorkflow::Synchronous);
-        write.close();
-        require_encoding(IterationEncoding::variableBased);
-    }
-
-    // explicitly set variable encoding
-
-    {
-        Series write(
-            next_filename(),
-            Access::CREATE,
-            R"(iteration_encoding = "group_based")");
-        write.close();
-        require_encoding(IterationEncoding::groupBased);
-    }
-
-    {
-        Series write(
-            next_filename(),
-            Access::CREATE,
-            R"(iteration_encoding = "group_based")");
-        write.snapshots(SnapshotWorkflow::RandomAccess);
-        write.close();
-        require_encoding(IterationEncoding::groupBased);
-    }
-
-    {
-        Series write(
-            next_filename(),
-            Access::CREATE,
-            R"(iteration_encoding = "group_based")");
-        write.snapshots(SnapshotWorkflow::Synchronous);
-        write.close();
-        require_encoding(IterationEncoding::groupBased);
-    }
-
-    {
-        Series write(
-            next_filename(),
-            Access::CREATE,
-            R"(iteration_encoding = "group_based")");
-        write.flush();
-        write.snapshots(SnapshotWorkflow::RandomAccess);
-        write.close();
-        require_encoding(IterationEncoding::groupBased);
-    }
-
-    {
-        Series write(
-            next_filename(),
-            Access::CREATE,
-            R"(iteration_encoding = "group_based")");
-        write.flush();
-        write.snapshots(SnapshotWorkflow::Synchronous);
-        write.close();
-        require_encoding(IterationEncoding::groupBased);
-    }
-
-    // explicitly use API call to set variable encoding
-
-    {
-        Series write(next_filename(), Access::CREATE);
-        write.setIterationEncoding(IterationEncoding::variableBased);
-        write.close();
-        require_encoding(IterationEncoding::variableBased);
-    }
-
-    {
-        Series write(next_filename(), Access::CREATE);
-        write.setIterationEncoding(IterationEncoding::variableBased);
-        write.snapshots(SnapshotWorkflow::RandomAccess);
-        write.close();
-        require_encoding(IterationEncoding::variableBased);
-    }
-
-    {
-        Series write(next_filename(), Access::CREATE);
-        write.setIterationEncoding(IterationEncoding::variableBased);
-        write.snapshots(SnapshotWorkflow::Synchronous);
-        write.close();
-        require_encoding(IterationEncoding::variableBased);
-    }
-
-    {
-        Series write(next_filename(), Access::CREATE);
-        write.setIterationEncoding(IterationEncoding::variableBased);
-        write.flush();
-        write.snapshots(SnapshotWorkflow::RandomAccess);
-        write.close();
-        require_encoding(IterationEncoding::variableBased);
-    }
-
-    {
-        Series write(next_filename(), Access::CREATE);
-        write.setIterationEncoding(IterationEncoding::variableBased);
-        write.flush();
-        write.snapshots(SnapshotWorkflow::Synchronous);
-        write.close();
-        require_encoding(IterationEncoding::variableBased);
-    }
-
-    // explicitly use API call to set group encoding
-
-    {
-        Series write(next_filename(), Access::CREATE);
-        write.setIterationEncoding(IterationEncoding::groupBased);
-        write.close();
-        require_encoding(IterationEncoding::groupBased);
-    }
-
-    {
-        Series write(next_filename(), Access::CREATE);
-        write.setIterationEncoding(IterationEncoding::groupBased);
-        write.snapshots(SnapshotWorkflow::RandomAccess);
-        write.close();
-        require_encoding(IterationEncoding::groupBased);
-    }
-
-    {
-        Series write(next_filename(), Access::CREATE);
-        write.setIterationEncoding(IterationEncoding::groupBased);
-        write.snapshots(SnapshotWorkflow::Synchronous);
-        write.close();
-        require_encoding(IterationEncoding::groupBased);
-    }
-
-    {
-        Series write(next_filename(), Access::CREATE);
-        write.setIterationEncoding(IterationEncoding::groupBased);
-        write.flush();
-        write.snapshots(SnapshotWorkflow::RandomAccess);
-        write.close();
-        require_encoding(IterationEncoding::groupBased);
-    }
-
-    {
-        Series write(next_filename(), Access::CREATE);
-        write.setIterationEncoding(IterationEncoding::groupBased);
-        write.flush();
-        write.snapshots(SnapshotWorkflow::Synchronous);
-        write.close();
-        require_encoding(IterationEncoding::groupBased);
-    }
-
-    // explicitly use API call to set group encoding
-
-    {
-        Series write(next_filename(), Access::CREATE);
-        write.setIterationEncoding(IterationEncoding::variableBased);
-        write.close();
-        require_encoding(IterationEncoding::variableBased);
-    }
-
-    {
-        Series write(next_filename(), Access::CREATE);
-        write.setIterationEncoding(IterationEncoding::variableBased);
-        write.snapshots(SnapshotWorkflow::RandomAccess);
-        write.close();
-        require_encoding(IterationEncoding::variableBased);
-    }
-
-    {
-        Series write(next_filename(), Access::CREATE);
-        write.setIterationEncoding(IterationEncoding::variableBased);
-        write.snapshots(SnapshotWorkflow::Synchronous);
-        write.close();
-        require_encoding(IterationEncoding::variableBased);
-    }
-
-    {
-        Series write(next_filename(), Access::CREATE);
-        write.setIterationEncoding(IterationEncoding::variableBased);
-        write.flush();
-        write.snapshots(SnapshotWorkflow::RandomAccess);
-        write.close();
-        require_encoding(IterationEncoding::variableBased);
-    }
-
-    {
-        Series write(next_filename(), Access::CREATE);
-        write.setIterationEncoding(IterationEncoding::variableBased);
-        write.flush();
-        write.snapshots(SnapshotWorkflow::Synchronous);
-        write.close();
-        require_encoding(IterationEncoding::variableBased);
-    }
-
-    // explicitly use API call to set group encoding a bit late
-
-    {
-        Series write(next_filename(), Access::CREATE);
-        write.snapshots(SnapshotWorkflow::RandomAccess);
-        write.setIterationEncoding(IterationEncoding::groupBased);
-        write.close();
-        require_encoding(IterationEncoding::groupBased);
-    }
-
-    {
-        Series write(next_filename(), Access::CREATE);
-        write.snapshots(SnapshotWorkflow::Synchronous);
-        write.setIterationEncoding(IterationEncoding::groupBased);
-        write.close();
-        require_encoding(IterationEncoding::groupBased);
-    }
-
-    // explicitly use API call to set variable encoding a bit late
-
-    {
-        Series write(next_filename(), Access::CREATE);
-        write.snapshots(SnapshotWorkflow::RandomAccess);
-        write.setIterationEncoding(IterationEncoding::variableBased);
-        write.close();
-        require_encoding(IterationEncoding::variableBased);
-    }
-
-    {
-        Series write(next_filename(), Access::CREATE);
-        write.snapshots(SnapshotWorkflow::Synchronous);
-        write.setIterationEncoding(IterationEncoding::variableBased);
-        write.close();
-        require_encoding(IterationEncoding::variableBased);
-    }
+    automatic_variable_encoding::automatic_variable_encoding();
 }
-#endif
 
 TEST_CASE("unique_ptr", "[core]")
 {
diff --git a/test/Files_Core/CoreTests.hpp b/test/Files_Core/CoreTests.hpp
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..27cb896706
--- /dev/null
+++ b/test/Files_Core/CoreTests.hpp
@@ -0,0 +1,6 @@
+#include <openPMD/openPMD.hpp>
+
+namespace automatic_variable_encoding
+{
+auto automatic_variable_encoding() -> void;
+}
diff --git a/test/Files_Core/automatic_variable_encoding.cpp b/test/Files_Core/automatic_variable_encoding.cpp
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..172d7162d1
--- /dev/null
+++ b/test/Files_Core/automatic_variable_encoding.cpp
@@ -0,0 +1,339 @@
+#include "CoreTests.hpp"
+#include <openPMD/IO/ADIOS/macros.hpp>
+
+#include <catch2/catch.hpp>
+
+namespace automatic_variable_encoding
+{
+auto automatic_variable_encoding() -> void
+{
+#if openPMD_HAVE_ADIOS2 && openPMD_HAS_ADIOS_2_9
+    using namespace openPMD;
+
+    size_t filename_counter = 0;
+    auto filename = [&filename_counter]() {
+        std::stringstream res;
+        res << "../samples/automatic_variable_encoding/test_no_"
+            << filename_counter << ".bp5";
+        return res.str();
+    };
+    auto next_filename = [&filename_counter, &filename]() {
+        ++filename_counter;
+        return filename();
+    };
+    auto require_encoding = [&filename](IterationEncoding ie) {
+        Series read(filename(), openPMD::Access::READ_RANDOM_ACCESS);
+        REQUIRE(read.iterationEncoding() == ie);
+    };
+
+    // TESTS
+
+    {
+        Series write(next_filename(), Access::CREATE);
+        write.close();
+        require_encoding(IterationEncoding::groupBased);
+    }
+
+    {
+        Series write(next_filename(), Access::CREATE);
+        write.snapshots(SnapshotWorkflow::RandomAccess);
+        write.close();
+        require_encoding(IterationEncoding::groupBased);
+    }
+
+    {
+        Series write(next_filename(), Access::CREATE);
+        write.snapshots(SnapshotWorkflow::Synchronous);
+        write.close();
+        require_encoding(IterationEncoding::variableBased);
+    }
+
+    {
+        Series write(next_filename(), Access::CREATE);
+        write.flush();
+        write.snapshots(SnapshotWorkflow::RandomAccess);
+        write.close();
+        require_encoding(IterationEncoding::groupBased);
+    }
+
+    {
+        Series write(next_filename(), Access::CREATE);
+        write.flush();
+        write.snapshots(SnapshotWorkflow::Synchronous);
+        write.close();
+        require_encoding(IterationEncoding::groupBased);
+    }
+
+    // explicitly set variable encoding
+
+    {
+        Series write(
+            next_filename(),
+            Access::CREATE,
+            R"(iteration_encoding = "variable_based")");
+        write.close();
+        require_encoding(IterationEncoding::variableBased);
+    }
+
+    {
+        Series write(
+            next_filename(),
+            Access::CREATE,
+            R"(iteration_encoding = "variable_based")");
+        write.snapshots(SnapshotWorkflow::RandomAccess);
+        write.close();
+        require_encoding(IterationEncoding::variableBased);
+    }
+
+    {
+        Series write(
+            next_filename(),
+            Access::CREATE,
+            R"(iteration_encoding = "variable_based")");
+        write.snapshots(SnapshotWorkflow::Synchronous);
+        write.close();
+        require_encoding(IterationEncoding::variableBased);
+    }
+
+    {
+        Series write(
+            next_filename(),
+            Access::CREATE,
+            R"(iteration_encoding = "variable_based")");
+        write.flush();
+        write.snapshots(SnapshotWorkflow::RandomAccess);
+        write.close();
+        require_encoding(IterationEncoding::variableBased);
+    }
+
+    {
+        Series write(
+            next_filename(),
+            Access::CREATE,
+            R"(iteration_encoding = "variable_based")");
+        write.flush();
+        write.snapshots(SnapshotWorkflow::Synchronous);
+        write.close();
+        require_encoding(IterationEncoding::variableBased);
+    }
+
+    // explicitly set variable encoding
+
+    {
+        Series write(
+            next_filename(),
+            Access::CREATE,
+            R"(iteration_encoding = "group_based")");
+        write.close();
+        require_encoding(IterationEncoding::groupBased);
+    }
+
+    {
+        Series write(
+            next_filename(),
+            Access::CREATE,
+            R"(iteration_encoding = "group_based")");
+        write.snapshots(SnapshotWorkflow::RandomAccess);
+        write.close();
+        require_encoding(IterationEncoding::groupBased);
+    }
+
+    {
+        Series write(
+            next_filename(),
+            Access::CREATE,
+            R"(iteration_encoding = "group_based")");
+        write.snapshots(SnapshotWorkflow::Synchronous);
+        write.close();
+        require_encoding(IterationEncoding::groupBased);
+    }
+
+    {
+        Series write(
+            next_filename(),
+            Access::CREATE,
+            R"(iteration_encoding = "group_based")");
+        write.flush();
+        write.snapshots(SnapshotWorkflow::RandomAccess);
+        write.close();
+        require_encoding(IterationEncoding::groupBased);
+    }
+
+    {
+        Series write(
+            next_filename(),
+            Access::CREATE,
+            R"(iteration_encoding = "group_based")");
+        write.flush();
+        write.snapshots(SnapshotWorkflow::Synchronous);
+        write.close();
+        require_encoding(IterationEncoding::groupBased);
+    }
+
+    // explicitly use API call to set variable encoding
+
+    {
+        Series write(next_filename(), Access::CREATE);
+        write.setIterationEncoding(IterationEncoding::variableBased);
+        write.close();
+        require_encoding(IterationEncoding::variableBased);
+    }
+
+    {
+        Series write(next_filename(), Access::CREATE);
+        write.setIterationEncoding(IterationEncoding::variableBased);
+        write.snapshots(SnapshotWorkflow::RandomAccess);
+        write.close();
+        require_encoding(IterationEncoding::variableBased);
+    }
+
+    {
+        Series write(next_filename(), Access::CREATE);
+        write.setIterationEncoding(IterationEncoding::variableBased);
+        write.snapshots(SnapshotWorkflow::Synchronous);
+        write.close();
+        require_encoding(IterationEncoding::variableBased);
+    }
+
+    {
+        Series write(next_filename(), Access::CREATE);
+        write.setIterationEncoding(IterationEncoding::variableBased);
+        write.flush();
+        write.snapshots(SnapshotWorkflow::RandomAccess);
+        write.close();
+        require_encoding(IterationEncoding::variableBased);
+    }
+
+    {
+        Series write(next_filename(), Access::CREATE);
+        write.setIterationEncoding(IterationEncoding::variableBased);
+        write.flush();
+        write.snapshots(SnapshotWorkflow::Synchronous);
+        write.close();
+        require_encoding(IterationEncoding::variableBased);
+    }
+
+    // explicitly use API call to set group encoding
+
+    {
+        Series write(next_filename(), Access::CREATE);
+        write.setIterationEncoding(IterationEncoding::groupBased);
+        write.close();
+        require_encoding(IterationEncoding::groupBased);
+    }
+
+    {
+        Series write(next_filename(), Access::CREATE);
+        write.setIterationEncoding(IterationEncoding::groupBased);
+        write.snapshots(SnapshotWorkflow::RandomAccess);
+        write.close();
+        require_encoding(IterationEncoding::groupBased);
+    }
+
+    {
+        Series write(next_filename(), Access::CREATE);
+        write.setIterationEncoding(IterationEncoding::groupBased);
+        write.snapshots(SnapshotWorkflow::Synchronous);
+        write.close();
+        require_encoding(IterationEncoding::groupBased);
+    }
+
+    {
+        Series write(next_filename(), Access::CREATE);
+        write.setIterationEncoding(IterationEncoding::groupBased);
+        write.flush();
+        write.snapshots(SnapshotWorkflow::RandomAccess);
+        write.close();
+        require_encoding(IterationEncoding::groupBased);
+    }
+
+    {
+        Series write(next_filename(), Access::CREATE);
+        write.setIterationEncoding(IterationEncoding::groupBased);
+        write.flush();
+        write.snapshots(SnapshotWorkflow::Synchronous);
+        write.close();
+        require_encoding(IterationEncoding::groupBased);
+    }
+
+    // explicitly use API call to set group encoding
+
+    {
+        Series write(next_filename(), Access::CREATE);
+        write.setIterationEncoding(IterationEncoding::variableBased);
+        write.close();
+        require_encoding(IterationEncoding::variableBased);
+    }
+
+    {
+        Series write(next_filename(), Access::CREATE);
+        write.setIterationEncoding(IterationEncoding::variableBased);
+        write.snapshots(SnapshotWorkflow::RandomAccess);
+        write.close();
+        require_encoding(IterationEncoding::variableBased);
+    }
+
+    {
+        Series write(next_filename(), Access::CREATE);
+        write.setIterationEncoding(IterationEncoding::variableBased);
+        write.snapshots(SnapshotWorkflow::Synchronous);
+        write.close();
+        require_encoding(IterationEncoding::variableBased);
+    }
+
+    {
+        Series write(next_filename(), Access::CREATE);
+        write.setIterationEncoding(IterationEncoding::variableBased);
+        write.flush();
+        write.snapshots(SnapshotWorkflow::RandomAccess);
+        write.close();
+        require_encoding(IterationEncoding::variableBased);
+    }
+
+    {
+        Series write(next_filename(), Access::CREATE);
+        write.setIterationEncoding(IterationEncoding::variableBased);
+        write.flush();
+        write.snapshots(SnapshotWorkflow::Synchronous);
+        write.close();
+        require_encoding(IterationEncoding::variableBased);
+    }
+
+    // explicitly use API call to set group encoding a bit late
+
+    {
+        Series write(next_filename(), Access::CREATE);
+        write.snapshots(SnapshotWorkflow::RandomAccess);
+        write.setIterationEncoding(IterationEncoding::groupBased);
+        write.close();
+        require_encoding(IterationEncoding::groupBased);
+    }
+
+    {
+        Series write(next_filename(), Access::CREATE);
+        write.snapshots(SnapshotWorkflow::Synchronous);
+        write.setIterationEncoding(IterationEncoding::groupBased);
+        write.close();
+        require_encoding(IterationEncoding::groupBased);
+    }
+
+    // explicitly use API call to set variable encoding a bit late
+
+    {
+        Series write(next_filename(), Access::CREATE);
+        write.snapshots(SnapshotWorkflow::RandomAccess);
+        write.setIterationEncoding(IterationEncoding::variableBased);
+        write.close();
+        require_encoding(IterationEncoding::variableBased);
+    }
+
+    {
+        Series write(next_filename(), Access::CREATE);
+        write.snapshots(SnapshotWorkflow::Synchronous);
+        write.setIterationEncoding(IterationEncoding::variableBased);
+        write.close();
+        require_encoding(IterationEncoding::variableBased);
+    }
+#endif
+}
+} // namespace automatic_variable_encoding