diff --git a/easybuild/tools/robot.py b/easybuild/tools/robot.py
index 5189769929..70901c2413 100644
--- a/easybuild/tools/robot.py
+++ b/easybuild/tools/robot.py
@@ -242,7 +242,7 @@ def dry_run(easyconfigs, modtool, short=False):
     :param short: use short format for overview: use a variable for common prefixes
     """
     lines = []
-    if build_option('robot_path') is None:
+    if build_option('robot') is None:
         lines.append("Dry run: printing build status of easyconfigs")
         all_specs = easyconfigs
     else:
diff --git a/test/framework/easyconfig.py b/test/framework/easyconfig.py
index 49f40f978a..953f58574a 100644
--- a/test/framework/easyconfig.py
+++ b/test/framework/easyconfig.py
@@ -3628,6 +3628,7 @@ def test_hidden_toolchain(self):
         args = [
             ec_file,
             '--dry-run',
+            '--robot',
         ]
         outtxt = self.eb_main(args, raise_error=True)
         self.assertTrue(re.search(r'module: GCC/\.4\.9\.2', outtxt))
diff --git a/test/framework/options.py b/test/framework/options.py
index 9f672bbc36..7c7d950c88 100644
--- a/test/framework/options.py
+++ b/test/framework/options.py
@@ -1532,12 +1532,15 @@ def test_copy_ec_from_commit(self):
 
     def test_dry_run(self):
         """Test dry run (long format)."""
+
+        # first test with --robot
         fd, dummylogfn = tempfile.mkstemp(prefix='easybuild-dummy', suffix='.log')
         os.close(fd)
 
         args = [
             'gzip-1.4-GCC-4.6.3.eb',
-            '--dry-run',  # implies enabling dependency resolution
+            '--dry-run',
+            '--robot',  # implies enabling dependency resolution
             '--unittest-file=%s' % self.logfile,
         ]
         self.eb_main(args, logfile=dummylogfn)
@@ -1553,6 +1556,24 @@ def test_dry_run(self):
             regex = re.compile(r" \* \[%s\] \S+%s \(module: %s\)" % (mark, ec, mod), re.M)
             self.assertTrue(regex.search(logtxt), "Found match for pattern %s in '%s'" % (regex.pattern, logtxt))
 
+        # next test without --robot
+        fd, dummylogfn = tempfile.mkstemp(prefix='easybuild-dummy', suffix='.log')
+        os.close(fd)
+
+        args = [
+            'gzip-1.4-GCC-4.6.3.eb',
+            '--dry-run',
+            '--unittest-file=%s' % self.logfile,
+        ]
+        self.eb_main(args, logfile=dummylogfn)
+        logtxt = read_file(self.logfile)
+
+        info_msg = r"Dry run: printing build status of easyconfigs"
+        self.assertTrue(re.search(info_msg, logtxt, re.M), "Info message dry running in '%s'" % logtxt)
+        ec, mod, mark = ("gzip-1.4-GCC-4.6.3.eb", "gzip/1.4-GCC-4.6.3", ' ')
+        regex = re.compile(r" \* \[%s\] \S+%s \(module: %s\)" % (mark, ec, mod), re.M)
+        self.assertTrue(regex.search(logtxt), "Found match for pattern %s in '%s'" % (regex.pattern, logtxt))
+
     def test_missing(self):
         """Test use of --missing/-M."""
 
@@ -1705,6 +1726,7 @@ def test_try_toolchain_mapping(self):
             gzip_ec,
             '--try-toolchain=iccifort,2016.1.150-GCC-4.9.3-2.25',
             '--dry-run',
+            '--robot',
         ]
 
         # by default, toolchain mapping is enabled
@@ -1759,6 +1781,7 @@ def test_try_update_deps(self):
             '--try-toolchain-version=6.4.0-2.28',
             '--try-update-deps',
             '-D',
+            '--robot',
         ]
 
         self.assertErrorRegex(EasyBuildError, "Experimental functionality", self.eb_main, args, raise_error=True)
@@ -1840,6 +1863,7 @@ def test_dry_run_hierarchical(self):
             'gzip-1.5-foss-2018a.eb',
             'OpenMPI-2.1.2-GCC-6.4.0-2.28.eb',
             '--dry-run',
+            '--robot',
             '--unittest-file=%s' % self.logfile,
             '--module-naming-scheme=HierarchicalMNS',
             '--ignore-osdeps',
@@ -1880,6 +1904,7 @@ def test_dry_run_categorized(self):
             'gzip-1.5-foss-2018a.eb',
             'OpenMPI-2.1.2-GCC-6.4.0-2.28.eb',
             '--dry-run',
+            '--robot',
             '--unittest-file=%s' % self.logfile,
             '--module-naming-scheme=CategorizedHMNS',
             '--ignore-osdeps',
@@ -2187,6 +2212,7 @@ def test_from_commit(self):
         args = [
             '--from-commit=%s' % test_commit,
             '--dry-run',
+            '--robot',
             '--tmpdir=%s' % tmpdir,
             '--include-easyblocks=' + os.path.join(self.test_prefix, 'easyblocks', '*.py'),
         ]
@@ -3018,6 +3044,7 @@ def test_hide_toolchains(self):
         args = [
             ec_file,
             '--dry-run',
+            '--robot',
             '--hide-toolchains=GCC',
         ]
         outtxt = self.eb_main(args)
@@ -4248,6 +4275,7 @@ def test_minimal_toolchains(self):
             '--minimal-toolchains',
             '--module-naming-scheme=HierarchicalMNS',
             '--dry-run',
+            '--robot',
         ]
         self.mock_stdout(True)
         self.eb_main(args, do_build=True, raise_error=True, testing=False)