diff --git a/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/portage/package.py b/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/portage/package.py
index 56263c8cce6..fb12d6ea0ad 100644
--- a/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/portage/package.py
+++ b/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/portage/package.py
@@ -106,4 +106,4 @@ def cmake_args(self):
     def check(self):
         if self.run_tests:
             with working_dir(self.build_directory):
-                make("test")
+                ctest("-j 8")
diff --git a/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/tangram/package.py b/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/tangram/package.py
index 0eecbcdbf16..0d0a37b3079 100644
--- a/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/tangram/package.py
+++ b/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/tangram/package.py
@@ -88,4 +88,4 @@ def cmake_args(self):
     def check(self):
         if self.run_tests:
             with working_dir(self.build_directory):
-                make("test")
+                ctest("-j 8")
diff --git a/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/wonton/package.py b/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/wonton/package.py
index cd0c2e65ee9..a44121eee1a 100644
--- a/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/wonton/package.py
+++ b/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/wonton/package.py
@@ -135,4 +135,4 @@ def cmake_args(self):
     def check(self):
         if self.run_tests:
             with working_dir(self.build_directory):
-                make("test")
+                ctest("-j 8")