diff --git a/script/mt b/script/mt
index bbb01f75..7e79effd 100755
--- a/script/mt
+++ b/script/mt
@@ -41,7 +41,7 @@ fi
 # make target
 target=test
 testserie=modules
-setuptestfiles=(00/005 00/006 00/010 00/050 00/080)
+setuptestfiles=(00/005 00/006 00/010 00/050 00/080 00/085)
 if [ $# -gt 0 ]; then
    if [ "$1" = "cov" ]; then
       export COVERAGE=y
@@ -49,7 +49,7 @@ if [ $# -gt 0 ]; then
    elif [ "$1" = "install" ]; then
       target=testinstall
       testserie=install
-      setuptestfiles=(00/005 00/006 00/010)
+      setuptestfiles=(00/005 00/006 00/010 00/011)
       shift
    fi
 fi
diff --git a/testsuite/config/base-config.exp b/testsuite/config/base-config.exp
index 24f7ad00..2086a5cc 100644
--- a/testsuite/config/base-config.exp
+++ b/testsuite/config/base-config.exp
@@ -1242,3 +1242,100 @@ proc setenv_loaded_module {modlist modfilelist {notaskedmodlist {}}} {
         unsetenv_path_var MODULES_LMNOTUASKED
     }
 }
+
+# when saving variable ignore internal variable used to perform tests
+array set skipped_var [list runtests 1 subdir 1 errorInfo 1 test_counts 1\
+    errorCode 1 comp_error 1 dir 1 test_name 1 comp_output 1 comp_exit 1\
+    autoinit_mode 1 endpipe 1 saved_var 1 saved_array_var 1 saved_env_var 1\
+    env 1 skipped_var 1 auto_execs 1 shell 1]
+
+# save name and value for any global variables
+proc save_test_env {} {
+    # reset dump structs
+    foreach var [list saved_var saved_array_var saved_env_var] {
+        global $var
+        if {[info exists $var]} {
+            array unset $var
+        }
+    }
+
+    global env skipped_var
+
+    foreach var [info globals] {
+        if {![info exists skipped_var($var)]} {
+            if {[array exists ::$var]} {
+                set saved_var($var) [array get ::$var]
+                set saved_array_var($var) 1
+            } else {
+                set saved_var($var) [set ::$var]
+            }
+        }
+    }
+    send_user "\tSaved test variables: [array names saved_var]\n"
+    array set saved_env_var [array get ::env]
+    send_user "\tSaved test environment variables: [array names\
+        saved_env_var]\n"
+}
+
+# restore test environment to its initial saved sate
+proc reset_test_env {} {
+    global saved_var saved_array_var saved_env_var env skipped_var
+
+    # reset Tcl global variables
+    foreach var [info globals] {
+        if {![info exists skipped_var($var)]} {
+            # temp variables should be unset
+            if {![info exists saved_var($var)]} {
+                lappend unset_list $var
+                unset ::$var
+            # initial value should be restored if changed
+            } elseif {![info exists saved_array_var($var)]} {
+                if {$saved_var($var) ne [set ::$var]} {
+                    lappend restore_list $var
+                    set ::$var $saved_var($var)
+                }
+            } else {
+                if {$saved_var($var) ne [array get ::$var]} {
+                    lappend restore_list $var
+                    array set ::$var $saved_var($var)
+                }
+            }
+        }
+    }
+    # unset saved variables should be restored
+    foreach var [array names saved_var] {
+        if {![info exists ::$var]} {
+            lappend restore_list $var
+            set ::$var $saved_var($var)
+        }
+    }
+
+    if {[info exists unset_list]} {
+        send_user "\tUnset temp variables: $unset_list\n"
+    }
+    if {[info exists restore_list]} {
+        send_user "\tRestore test variable initial values: $restore_list\n"
+    }
+
+    # reset environment variables
+    foreach var [array names env] {
+        # temp variables should be unset
+        if {![info exists saved_env_var($var)]} {
+            send_user "\tUnset $var\n"
+            unset env($var)
+        # initial value should be restored if changed
+        } else {
+            if {$saved_env_var($var) ne $env($var)} {
+                send_user "\tSetup $var = '$saved_env_var($var)'\n"
+                set env($var) $saved_env_var($var)
+            }
+        }
+    }
+    # unset saved variables should be restored
+    foreach var [array names saved_env_var] {
+        if {![info exists env($var)]} {
+            send_user "\tSetup $var = '$saved_env_var($var)'\n"
+            set env($var) $saved_env_var($var)
+        }
+    }
+}
diff --git a/testsuite/install.00-init/011-save_test_env.exp b/testsuite/install.00-init/011-save_test_env.exp
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..fb097cdf
--- /dev/null
+++ b/testsuite/install.00-init/011-save_test_env.exp
@@ -0,0 +1,23 @@
+##############################################################################
+#   Modules Revision 3.0
+#   Providing a flexible user environment
+#
+#   File:		modules.00-init/%M%
+#   Revision:		%I%
+#   First Edition:	2020/12/06
+#   Last Mod.:		%U%, %G%
+#
+#   Authors:		Xavier Delaruelle, xavier.delaruelle@cea.fr
+#
+#   Description:	Testuite testsequence
+#   Command:
+#   Sub-Command:
+#
+#   Comment:	%C{
+#			Save variable set defined to perform test, which will
+#           be restored at end of each test set
+#		}C%
+#
+##############################################################################
+
+save_test_env
diff --git a/testsuite/modules.00-init/085-save_test_env.exp b/testsuite/modules.00-init/085-save_test_env.exp
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..fb097cdf
--- /dev/null
+++ b/testsuite/modules.00-init/085-save_test_env.exp
@@ -0,0 +1,23 @@
+##############################################################################
+#   Modules Revision 3.0
+#   Providing a flexible user environment
+#
+#   File:		modules.00-init/%M%
+#   Revision:		%I%
+#   First Edition:	2020/12/06
+#   Last Mod.:		%U%, %G%
+#
+#   Authors:		Xavier Delaruelle, xavier.delaruelle@cea.fr
+#
+#   Description:	Testuite testsequence
+#   Command:
+#   Sub-Command:
+#
+#   Comment:	%C{
+#			Save variable set defined to perform test, which will
+#           be restored at end of each test set
+#		}C%
+#
+##############################################################################
+
+save_test_env
diff --git a/testsuite/modules.60-initx/010-init_ts.exp b/testsuite/modules.60-initx/010-init_ts.exp
index 1e3b82c7..72abf226 100644
--- a/testsuite/modules.60-initx/010-init_ts.exp
+++ b/testsuite/modules.60-initx/010-init_ts.exp
@@ -62,3 +62,6 @@ proc _test_modules {shell cmd output} {
 		send_user "expected: $output\n";
 	}
 }
+
+# save specific test env
+save_test_env
diff --git a/testsuite/modules.60-initx/999-cleanup.exp b/testsuite/modules.60-initx/999-cleanup.exp
index 8f8af6bb..9a7ec9e6 100644
--- a/testsuite/modules.60-initx/999-cleanup.exp
+++ b/testsuite/modules.60-initx/999-cleanup.exp
@@ -28,3 +28,6 @@ unset modload
 unset line2
 unset line2x
 unset find_msg_sh
+
+# restore orig saved test env
+save_test_env
diff --git a/testsuite/modules.61-coll/010-init_ts.exp b/testsuite/modules.61-coll/010-init_ts.exp
index 7cbe3794..e12df0bd 100644
--- a/testsuite/modules.61-coll/010-init_ts.exp
+++ b/testsuite/modules.61-coll/010-init_ts.exp
@@ -259,3 +259,6 @@ set c16contre "$mlu {$c16modpath1re}\n$mll {$c16mod1}\n$mll {$c16mod2}\n$mll $c1
 
 # generate modulefiles that cannot be recorded in git repository
 create_endspace_test_modulefiles
+
+# save specific test env
+save_test_env
diff --git a/testsuite/modules.61-coll/999-cleanup.exp b/testsuite/modules.61-coll/999-cleanup.exp
index 8d81f1ba..0aa5a6b5 100644
--- a/testsuite/modules.61-coll/999-cleanup.exp
+++ b/testsuite/modules.61-coll/999-cleanup.exp
@@ -257,3 +257,6 @@ unset homewithcolldotmod
 unset homewithcolldotmodre
 unset hometestcoll
 unset hometestdotmod
+
+# restore orig saved test env
+save_test_env
diff --git a/testsuite/modules.70-maint/010-init_ts.exp b/testsuite/modules.70-maint/010-init_ts.exp
index 79af4ead..251889a1 100644
--- a/testsuite/modules.70-maint/010-init_ts.exp
+++ b/testsuite/modules.70-maint/010-init_ts.exp
@@ -27,3 +27,6 @@ set whatis_cf "$env(MODULEWHATISCACHE)apropos.cache"
 if { [ file exists $whatis_cf ] } {
     catch { exec /bin/rm $whatis_cf }
 }
+
+# save specific test env
+save_test_env
diff --git a/testsuite/modules.70-maint/999-cleanup.exp b/testsuite/modules.70-maint/999-cleanup.exp
index ca4cfc0b..91009370 100644
--- a/testsuite/modules.70-maint/999-cleanup.exp
+++ b/testsuite/modules.70-maint/999-cleanup.exp
@@ -23,3 +23,6 @@
 
 unset env(MODULEWHATISCACHE)
 unset whatis_cf
+
+# restore orig saved test env
+save_test_env
diff --git a/testsuite/modules.80-deep/010-init_ts.exp b/testsuite/modules.80-deep/010-init_ts.exp
index 96891ba7..fbe08f04 100644
--- a/testsuite/modules.80-deep/010-init_ts.exp
+++ b/testsuite/modules.80-deep/010-init_ts.exp
@@ -136,3 +136,6 @@ set ibadvers0 "badmodvers"
 set obadvers0 "badmodvers/foo"
 set ibadvers1 "badmodvers/dir1"
 set obadvers1 "badmodvers/dir1/2.0"
+
+# save specific test env
+save_test_env
diff --git a/testsuite/modules.80-deep/999-cleanup.exp b/testsuite/modules.80-deep/999-cleanup.exp
index 5d1b4673..ceb6f84e 100644
--- a/testsuite/modules.80-deep/999-cleanup.exp
+++ b/testsuite/modules.80-deep/999-cleanup.exp
@@ -136,3 +136,6 @@ unset ibadvers0
 unset obadvers0
 unset ibadvers1
 unset obadvers1
+
+# restore orig saved test env
+save_test_env
diff --git a/testsuite/modules.91-sort/010-init_ts.exp b/testsuite/modules.91-sort/010-init_ts.exp
index 5605a8bd..e90bedf9 100644
--- a/testsuite/modules.91-sort/010-init_ts.exp
+++ b/testsuite/modules.91-sort/010-init_ts.exp
@@ -36,3 +36,5 @@ set version6 "1.10"
 set module6 "$module/$version6"
 set modulefile6 "$modpath/$module6"
 
+# save specific test env
+save_test_env
diff --git a/testsuite/modules.91-sort/999-cleanup.exp b/testsuite/modules.91-sort/999-cleanup.exp
index c92f8dbc..210070a1 100644
--- a/testsuite/modules.91-sort/999-cleanup.exp
+++ b/testsuite/modules.91-sort/999-cleanup.exp
@@ -34,3 +34,6 @@ unset version5
 unset version6
 unset module6
 unset modulefile6
+
+# restore orig saved test env
+save_test_env
diff --git a/testsuite/modules.95-version/010-init_ts.exp b/testsuite/modules.95-version/010-init_ts.exp
index a6b66f30..675f4ce1 100644
--- a/testsuite/modules.95-version/010-init_ts.exp
+++ b/testsuite/modules.95-version/010-init_ts.exp
@@ -46,3 +46,5 @@ set modulepath "$path\:$modpath"
 
 setenv_path_var MODULEPATH $modulepath
 
+# save specific test env
+save_test_env
diff --git a/testsuite/modules.95-version/999-cleanup.exp b/testsuite/modules.95-version/999-cleanup.exp
index 50ddd199..7869c01a 100644
--- a/testsuite/modules.95-version/999-cleanup.exp
+++ b/testsuite/modules.95-version/999-cleanup.exp
@@ -47,3 +47,6 @@ if { $verbose > 1 } {
 if { [ version_test "BEGINENV=\[1-9\]" ] } {
 	file delete $env(_MODULESBEGINENV_)
 }
+
+# restore orig saved test env
+save_test_env