diff --git a/nixos/tests/postgresql.nix b/nixos/tests/postgresql.nix
index e71c3888288..5ba2d38773b 100644
--- a/nixos/tests/postgresql.nix
+++ b/nixos/tests/postgresql.nix
@@ -29,11 +29,15 @@ let
 
     machine = {...}:
       {
-        services.postgresql.enable = true;
-        services.postgresql.package = postgresql-package;
+        services.postgresql = {
+          enable = true;
+          package = postgresql-package;
+        };
 
-        services.postgresqlBackup.enable = true;
-        services.postgresqlBackup.databases = optional (!backup-all) "postgres";
+        services.postgresqlBackup = {
+          enable = true;
+          databases = optional (!backup-all) "postgres";
+        };
       };
 
     testScript = let
@@ -49,23 +53,29 @@ let
       machine.start()
       machine.wait_for_unit("postgresql")
 
-      # postgresql should be available just after unit start
-      machine.succeed(
-          "cat ${test-sql} | sudo -u postgres psql"
-      )
-      machine.shutdown()  # make sure that postgresql survive restart (bug #1735)
-      time.sleep(2)
-      machine.start()
-      machine.wait_for_unit("postgresql")
+      with subtest("Postgresql is available just after unit start"):
+          machine.succeed(
+              "cat ${test-sql} | sudo -u postgres psql"
+          )
+
+      with subtest("Postgresql survives restart (bug #1735)"):
+          machine.shutdown()
+          time.sleep(2)
+          machine.start()
+          machine.wait_for_unit("postgresql")
+
       machine.fail(check_count("SELECT * FROM sth;", 3))
       machine.succeed(check_count("SELECT * FROM sth;", 5))
       machine.fail(check_count("SELECT * FROM sth;", 4))
       machine.succeed(check_count("SELECT xpath('/test/text()', doc) FROM xmltest;", 1))
 
-      # Check backup service
-      machine.succeed("systemctl start ${backupService}.service")
-      machine.succeed("zcat /var/backup/postgresql/${backupName}.sql.gz | grep '<test>ok</test>'")
-      machine.succeed("stat -c '%a' /var/backup/postgresql/${backupName}.sql.gz | grep 600")
+      with subtest("Backup service works"):
+          machine.succeed(
+              "systemctl start ${backupService}.service",
+              "zcat /var/backup/postgresql/${backupName}.sql.gz | grep '<test>ok</test>'",
+              "stat -c '%a' /var/backup/postgresql/${backupName}.sql.gz | grep 600",
+          )
+
       machine.shutdown()
     '';