diff --git a/.appveyor.yml b/.appveyor.yml
index a04ae3f2..29945cc5 100644
--- a/.appveyor.yml
+++ b/.appveyor.yml
@@ -48,7 +48,7 @@ build: off
 
 environment:
   # unless indicated otherwise, we test datalad_next
-  DTS: datalad_next
+  DTS: datalad_next.shell
   COVERAGE_ROOT: /home/appveyor/DLTMP
   HATCH_DATA_DIR: /home/appveyor/hatch-data-dir
   PIP_CACHE: /home/appveyor/.cache/pip
@@ -303,8 +303,8 @@ for:
       - "[ -n \"$DEPLOY_HTTPBIN_IMAGE\" ] && tools/appveyor/docker-load-httpbin || true"
 
     before_test:
-      - "[ \"$DATALAD_TESTS_SSH\" = 1 ] && tools/appveyor/setup-sshd || true"
-      - "[ \"$DATALAD_TESTS_SSH\" = 1 ] && tools/appveyor/verify-ssh-access || true"
+      - "[ \"$DATALAD_TESTS_SSH\" = 1 ] && hatch run tests.py${PY}:tools/appveyor/setup-sshd || true"
+      - "[ \"$DATALAD_TESTS_SSH\" = 1 ] && hatch run tests.py${PY}:tools/appveyor/verify-ssh-access || true"
       - 'hatch run tests.py${PY}:datalad wtf'
 
     test_script:
@@ -388,8 +388,8 @@ for:
       - cmd: IF DEFINED INSTALL_GITANNEX datalad-installer --sudo ok %INSTALL_GITANNEX%
 
     before_test:
-      - tools\appveyor\setup-sshd
-      - tools\appveyor\verify-ssh-access
+      - cmd: 'hatch run tests.py%PY%:tools\appveyor\setup-sshd'
+      - cmd: 'hatch run tests.py%PY%:tools\appveyor\verify-ssh-access'
       - cmd: 'hatch run tests.py%PY%:datalad wtf'
 
     test_script: