diff --git a/matlab/tests/test_requestnames.m b/matlab/tests/test_requestnames.m
index 01527a0707adf72f6beea5f1d56396a8d8d34a8c..63595919b38cbbbedf2ad19c8636348badc1df83 100644
--- a/matlab/tests/test_requestnames.m
+++ b/matlab/tests/test_requestnames.m
@@ -1,46 +1,48 @@
 classdef (SharedTestFixtures={...
     check_mds,check_gdatpaths}) ...
     test_requestnames < matlab.unittest.TestCase
-
+  
   properties (Abstract)
     Machine;
   end
-
+  
   properties(TestParameter,Abstract)
     % parameters that will vary during tests
     shot;
     requests_fast; % placeholders
     requests_slow;
   end
-end
-
-function test_gdat_call(testCase,shot,request) %#ok<DEFNU>
-% actual function to test gdat call
-testCase.assertTrue(isnumeric(str2double(shot)));
-testCase.assertTrue(ischar(request));
-
-% gdat call
-gdat_call = sprintf(['gdat_' lower(testCase.Machine) '(%s,''%s'')'],shot,request);
-do_gdat_call = 1;
-
-switch request
- case 'eqdsk'
-  % avoid writing files in /tmp, may not be allowed
-  gdat_call = sprintf(['gdat_%s(%s,''%s'',''write'',0)'],lower(testCase.Machine),shot,request);
- end
-
-% logging
-fprintf('Testing gdat call: %s\n',gdat_call);
-
-if do_gdat_call
-  gdat_out = eval(gdat_call); %#ok<NASGU>
-else
-  gdat_out = struct([]);
-end
-
-% in some future: check for warnings
-%gdat_out = verifyWarningFree(testCase,eval(gdat_call),...
-%  'Warning issued from gdat call:\n   %s\n',gdat_call);
-
-% (add optional sanity checks of gdat_out here)
-end
+  
+  methods(Static)
+    function test_gdat_call(testCase,shot,request)
+      % actual function to test gdat call
+      testCase.assertTrue(isnumeric(str2double(shot)));
+      testCase.assertTrue(ischar(request));
+      
+      % gdat call
+      gdat_call = sprintf(['gdat_' lower(testCase.Machine) '(%s,''%s'')'],shot,request);
+      do_gdat_call = 1;
+      
+      switch request
+        case 'eqdsk'
+          % avoid writing files in /tmp, may not be allowed
+          gdat_call = sprintf(['gdat_%s(%s,''%s'',''write'',0)'],lower(testCase.Machine),shot,request);
+      end
+      
+      % logging
+      fprintf('Testing gdat call: %s\n',gdat_call);
+      
+      if do_gdat_call
+        gdat_out = eval(gdat_call); %#ok<NASGU>
+      else
+        gdat_out = struct([]);
+      end
+      
+      % in some future: check for warnings
+      %gdat_out = verifyWarningFree(testCase,eval(gdat_call),...
+      %  'Warning issued from gdat call:\n   %s\n',gdat_call);
+      
+      % (add optional sanity checks of gdat_out here)
+    end
+  end
+end
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/matlab/tests/test_requestnames_aug.m b/matlab/tests/test_requestnames_aug.m
index 7521b34b605033988ea1089e526161e15d24b5f5..d05879f2409eb975eca933824c01701014ae5050 100644
--- a/matlab/tests/test_requestnames_aug.m
+++ b/matlab/tests/test_requestnames_aug.m
@@ -14,13 +14,13 @@ classdef (TestTags={'aug'})test_requestnames_aug < test_requestnames
   
   methods(Test,TestTags = {'fast'})
     function test_gdat_call_fast(testCase,shot,requests_fast)
-      test_gdat_call(testCase,shot,requests_fast);
+      testCase.test_gdat_call(testCase,shot,requests_fast);
     end
   end
   
   methods(Test,TestTags = {'slow'})
     function test_gdat_call_slow(testCase,shot,requests_slow)
-      test_gdat_call(testCase,shot,requests_slow);
+      testCase.test_gdat_call(testCase,shot,requests_slow);
     end
   end
 end
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/matlab/tests/test_requestnames_tcv.m b/matlab/tests/test_requestnames_tcv.m
index e625ba60b47cbe6567639027455b0df97246967f..f40ecbfa9348473a86ef5552e37e9ad0340510a7 100644
--- a/matlab/tests/test_requestnames_tcv.m
+++ b/matlab/tests/test_requestnames_tcv.m
@@ -14,13 +14,13 @@ classdef (TestTags={'tcv'})test_requestnames_tcv < test_requestnames
   
   methods(Test,TestTags = {'fast'})
     function test_gdat_call_fast(testCase,shot,requests_fast)
-      test_gdat_call(testCase,shot,requests_fast);
+      testCase.test_gdat_call(testCase,shot,requests_fast);
     end
   end
   
   methods(Test,TestTags = {'slow'})
     function test_gdat_call_slow(testCase,shot,requests_slow)
-      test_gdat_call(testCase,shot,requests_slow);
+      testCase.test_gdat_call(testCase,shot,requests_slow);
     end
   end