diff --git a/tests/run-tests.py b/tests/run-tests.py
--- a/tests/run-tests.py
+++ b/tests/run-tests.py
@@ -2336,7 +2336,6 @@
         jobs=1,
         whitelist=None,
         blacklist=None,
-        retest=False,
         keywords=None,
         loop=False,
         runs_per_test=1,
@@ -2364,9 +2363,6 @@
         backwards compatible behavior which reports skipped tests as part
         of the results.
 
-        retest denotes whether to retest failed tests. This arguably belongs
-        outside of TestSuite.
-
         keywords denotes key words that will be used to filter which tests
         to execute. This arguably belongs outside of TestSuite.
 
@@ -2377,7 +2373,6 @@
         self._jobs = jobs
         self._whitelist = whitelist
         self._blacklist = blacklist
-        self._retest = retest
         self._keywords = keywords
         self._loop = loop
         self._runs_per_test = runs_per_test
@@ -2407,10 +2402,6 @@
                     result.addSkip(test, 'blacklisted')
                     continue
 
-                if self._retest and not os.path.exists(test.errpath):
-                    result.addIgnore(test, 'not retesting')
-                    continue
-
                 if self._keywords:
                     with open(test.path, 'rb') as f:
                         t = f.read().lower() + test.bname.lower()
@@ -3253,6 +3244,22 @@
                     tests.append({'path': t})
             else:
                 tests.append({'path': t})
+
+        if self.options.retest:
+            retest_args = []
+            for test in tests:
+                if 'case' in test:
+                    # for multiple dimensions test cases
+                    casestr = b'#'.join(test['case'])
+                    errpath = b'%s#%s.err' % (test['path'], casestr)
+                else:
+                    errpath = b'%s.err' % test['path']
+                if self.options.outputdir:
+                    errpath = os.path.join(self.options.outputdir, errpath)
+
+                if os.path.exists(errpath):
+                    retest_args.append(test)
+            tests = retest_args
         return tests
 
     def _runtests(self, testdescs):
@@ -3298,7 +3305,6 @@
                 jobs=jobs,
                 whitelist=self.options.whitelisted,
                 blacklist=self.options.blacklist,
-                retest=self.options.retest,
                 keywords=kws,
                 loop=self.options.loop,
                 runs_per_test=self.options.runs_per_test,
diff --git a/tests/test-run-tests.t b/tests/test-run-tests.t
--- a/tests/test-run-tests.t
+++ b/tests/test-run-tests.t
@@ -497,7 +497,7 @@
 ====================
 
   $ rt --retest
-  running 2 tests using 1 parallel processes 
+  running 1 tests using 1 parallel processes 
   
   --- $TESTTMP/test-failure.t
   +++ $TESTTMP/test-failure.t.err
@@ -512,7 +512,7 @@
   ERROR: test-failure.t output changed
   !
   Failed test-failure.t: output changed
-  # Ran 2 tests, 1 skipped, 1 failed.
+  # Ran 1 tests, 0 skipped, 1 failed.
   python hash seed: * (glob)
   [1]
 
@@ -521,7 +521,7 @@
   $ mkdir output
   $ mv test-failure.t.err output
   $ rt --retest --outputdir output
-  running 2 tests using 1 parallel processes 
+  running 1 tests using 1 parallel processes 
   
   --- $TESTTMP/test-failure.t
   +++ $TESTTMP/output/test-failure.t.err
@@ -536,7 +536,7 @@
   ERROR: test-failure.t output changed
   !
   Failed test-failure.t: output changed
-  # Ran 2 tests, 1 skipped, 1 failed.
+  # Ran 1 tests, 0 skipped, 1 failed.
   python hash seed: * (glob)
   [1]
 
@@ -975,7 +975,7 @@
   [1]
 
   $ rt --retest
-  running 5 tests using 1 parallel processes 
+  running 1 tests using 1 parallel processes 
   
   --- $TESTTMP/test-cases.t
   +++ $TESTTMP/test-cases.t#b#c.err
@@ -990,7 +990,7 @@
   ERROR: test-cases.t#b#c output changed
   !
   Failed test-cases.t#b#c: output changed
-  # Ran 5 tests, 4 skipped, 1 failed.
+  # Ran 1 tests, 0 skipped, 1 failed.
   python hash seed: * (glob)
   [1]
   $ rm test-cases.t#b#c.err