diff --git a/platformio.ini b/platformio.ini
index 4c5250014..3ad7826df 100644
--- a/platformio.ini
+++ b/platformio.ini
@@ -214,23 +214,20 @@ lib_ldf_mode = off
 lib_deps =
 
 ; unit tests
-;  The code is in ./test/test_api.*
+;  The test code is in ./test/test_api.cpp and the test_api.h file is created by the native-test-create environment.
 ;  to run use `platformio run -e native-test -t exec`. All tests should PASS.
-;  to update the test results, compile with -DEMSESP_UNITY_CREATE by uncommenting the line below
-;  then re-run and capture the output between "START - CUT HERE" and "END - CUT HERE" into the test_api.h file
 ;  tip: use https://jsondiff.com/ to compare the expected and actual responses.
 [env:native-test]
 platform = native
 test_build_src = true
 build_flags =
-  ; -DEMSESP_UNITY_CREATE
-  -DARDUINOJSON_ENABLE_ARDUINO_STRING=1
-  -DEMSESP_STANDALONE -DEMSESP_TEST
-  -DEMSESP_UNITY
-  -DEMSESP_DEFAULT_LOCALE=\"en\" -DEMSESP_DEFAULT_TX_MODE=8 -DEMSESP_DEFAULT_VERSION=\"3.7.3-dev.0\" -DEMSESP_DEFAULT_BOARD_PROFILE=\"S32\"
-  -std=gnu++17 -Og -ggdb
 build_type = debug
 build_src_flags =
+  -DEMSESP_STANDALONE -DEMSESP_TEST
+  -DEMSESP_UNITY
+  -DARDUINOJSON_ENABLE_ARDUINO_STRING=1
+  -DEMSESP_DEFAULT_LOCALE=\"en\" -DEMSESP_DEFAULT_TX_MODE=8 -DEMSESP_DEFAULT_VERSION=\"3.7.3-dev.0\" -DEMSESP_DEFAULT_BOARD_PROFILE=\"S32\"
+  -std=gnu++17 -Og -ggdb
   -Wall -Wextra
   -Wno-unused-parameter -Wno-sign-compare -Wno-missing-braces
   -Wno-vla-cxx-extension -Wno-tautological-constant-out-of-range-compare
@@ -260,6 +257,12 @@ lib_deps = Unity
 test_testing_command =
   ${platformio.build_dir}/${this.__env__}/program
 
+; builds the test cases and creates the test_api.h file
+; run with `pio run -e native-test-create -t exec` and capture the output between "START - CUT HERE" and "END - CUT HERE" and paste it into the test_api.h file
+[env:native-test-create]
+extends = env:native-test
+build_flags =
+  -DEMSESP_UNITY_CREATE
 ; 
 ; Building and testing locally on OS, which we call "standalone" without an ESP32.
 ; See https://docs.platformio.org/en/latest/platforms/native.html