diff --git a/deepmd/entrypoints/test.py b/deepmd/entrypoints/test.py
index b4c88c5715..ee975e26c3 100644
--- a/deepmd/entrypoints/test.py
+++ b/deepmd/entrypoints/test.py
@@ -65,10 +65,10 @@
 def test(
     *,
     model: str,
-    system: str,
-    datafile: str,
-    input_json: Optional[str] = None,
-    use_train: bool = False,
+    system: Optional[str],
+    datafile: Optional[str],
+    train_json: Optional[str] = None,
+    valid_json: Optional[str] = None,
     numb_test: int,
     rand_seed: Optional[int],
     shuffle_test: bool,
@@ -83,16 +83,16 @@ def test(
     ----------
     model : str
         path where model is stored
-    system : str
+    system : str, optional
         system directory
-    datafile : str
+    datafile : str, optional
         the path to the list of systems to test
-    input_json : Optional[str]
-        the training input.json file. Validation systems will be used if use_train is False.
-    use_train : bool
-        use training systems in the input.json file instead of validation systems
+    train_json : Optional[str]
+        Path to the input.json file provided via ``--train-data``. Training systems will be used for testing.
+    valid_json : Optional[str]
+        Path to the input.json file provided via ``--valid-data``. Validation systems will be used for testing.
     numb_test : int
-        munber of tests to do. 0 means all data.
+        number of tests to do. 0 means all data.
     rand_seed : Optional[int]
         seed for random generator
     shuffle_test : bool
@@ -114,30 +114,41 @@ def test(
     if numb_test == 0:
         # only float has inf, but should work for min
         numb_test = float("inf")
-    if input_json is not None:
-        jdata = j_loader(input_json)
+    if train_json is not None:
+        jdata = j_loader(train_json)
         jdata = update_deepmd_input(jdata)
-        data_key = "training_data" if use_train else "validation_data"
-        data_params = jdata.get("training", {}).get(data_key, {})
+        data_params = jdata.get("training", {}).get("training_data", {})
         systems = data_params.get("systems")
         if not systems:
-            raise RuntimeError(
-                f"No {'training' if use_train else 'validation'} data found in input json"
-            )
-        root = Path(input_json).parent
+            raise RuntimeError("No training data found in input json")
+        root = Path(train_json).parent
+        if isinstance(systems, str):
+            systems = str((root / Path(systems)).resolve())
+        else:
+            systems = [str((root / Path(ss)).resolve()) for ss in systems]
+        patterns = data_params.get("rglob_patterns", None)
+        all_sys = process_systems(systems, patterns=patterns)
+    elif valid_json is not None:
+        jdata = j_loader(valid_json)
+        jdata = update_deepmd_input(jdata)
+        data_params = jdata.get("training", {}).get("validation_data", {})
+        systems = data_params.get("systems")
+        if not systems:
+            raise RuntimeError("No validation data found in input json")
+        root = Path(valid_json).parent
         if isinstance(systems, str):
             systems = str((root / Path(systems)).resolve())
         else:
             systems = [str((root / Path(ss)).resolve()) for ss in systems]
         patterns = data_params.get("rglob_patterns", None)
         all_sys = process_systems(systems, patterns=patterns)
-    elif use_train:
-        raise RuntimeError("--train-data requires --input-json")
     elif datafile is not None:
         with open(datafile) as datalist:
             all_sys = datalist.read().splitlines()
-    else:
+    elif system is not None:
         all_sys = expand_sys_str(system)
+    else:
+        raise RuntimeError("No data source specified for testing")
 
     if len(all_sys) == 0:
         raise RuntimeError("Did not find valid system")
diff --git a/deepmd/main.py b/deepmd/main.py
index 4a748a0f35..389ee10dfc 100644
--- a/deepmd/main.py
+++ b/deepmd/main.py
@@ -372,18 +372,22 @@ def main_parser() -> argparse.ArgumentParser:
         help="The path to the datafile, each line of which is a path to one data system.",
     )
     parser_tst_subgroup.add_argument(
-        "-i",
-        "--input-json",
+        "--train-data",
+        dest="train_json",
         default=None,
         type=str,
-        help="The training input json file. Validation data in the training script will be used for testing.",
+        help=(
+            "The input json file. Training data in the file will be used for testing."
+        ),
     )
-    parser_tst.add_argument(
-        "--train-data",
-        "--train",
-        action="store_true",
-        dest="use_train",
-        help="Use training data in the input json file instead of validation data.",
+    parser_tst_subgroup.add_argument(
+        "--valid-data",
+        dest="valid_json",
+        default=None,
+        type=str,
+        help=(
+            "The input json file. Validation data in the file will be used for testing."
+        ),
     )
     parser_tst.add_argument(
         "-S",
diff --git a/source/tests/common/test_argument_parser.py b/source/tests/common/test_argument_parser.py
index 4e39df8659..4aebb7dafc 100644
--- a/source/tests/common/test_argument_parser.py
+++ b/source/tests/common/test_argument_parser.py
@@ -322,6 +322,32 @@ def test_parser_test(self) -> None:
 
         self.run_test(command="test", mapping=ARGS)
 
+    def test_parser_test_train_data(self) -> None:
+        """Test test subparser with train-data."""
+        ARGS = {
+            "--model": {"type": str, "value": "MODEL.PB"},
+            "--train-data": {
+                "type": (str, type(None)),
+                "value": "INPUT.JSON",
+                "dest": "train_json",
+            },
+        }
+
+        self.run_test(command="test", mapping=ARGS)
+
+    def test_parser_test_valid_data(self) -> None:
+        """Test test subparser with valid-data."""
+        ARGS = {
+            "--model": {"type": str, "value": "MODEL.PB"},
+            "--valid-data": {
+                "type": (str, type(None)),
+                "value": "INPUT.JSON",
+                "dest": "valid_json",
+            },
+        }
+
+        self.run_test(command="test", mapping=ARGS)
+
     def test_parser_compress(self) -> None:
         """Test compress subparser."""
         ARGS = {
diff --git a/source/tests/pt/test_dp_test.py b/source/tests/pt/test_dp_test.py
index ca042fc5a3..5a8674e276 100644
--- a/source/tests/pt/test_dp_test.py
+++ b/source/tests/pt/test_dp_test.py
@@ -51,10 +51,10 @@ def _run_dp_test(
             val_sys = val_sys[0]
         dp_test(
             model=tmp_model.name,
-            system=val_sys,
+            system=None if use_input_json else val_sys,
             datafile=None,
-            input_json=self.input_json if use_input_json else None,
-            use_train=use_train,
+            train_json=self.input_json if use_input_json and use_train else None,
+            valid_json=self.input_json if use_input_json and not use_train else None,
             set_prefix="set",
             numb_test=numb_test,
             rand_seed=None,
@@ -191,9 +191,9 @@ def test_dp_test_input_json_rglob(self) -> None:
         torch.jit.save(model, tmp_model.name)
         dp_test(
             model=tmp_model.name,
-            system=self.config["training"]["validation_data"]["systems"],
+            system=None,
             datafile=None,
-            input_json=self.input_json,
+            valid_json=self.input_json,
             set_prefix="set",
             numb_test=1,
             rand_seed=None,
@@ -246,10 +246,9 @@ def test_dp_test_input_json_rglob_train(self) -> None:
         torch.jit.save(model, tmp_model.name)
         dp_test(
             model=tmp_model.name,
-            system=self.config["training"]["validation_data"]["systems"],
+            system=None,
             datafile=None,
-            input_json=self.input_json,
-            use_train=True,
+            train_json=self.input_json,
             set_prefix="set",
             numb_test=1,
             rand_seed=None,