diff --git a/apptests/kustomize/kustomize_test.go b/apptests/kustomize/kustomize_test.go
index 93d5882d9..8ec88d00a 100644
--- a/apptests/kustomize/kustomize_test.go
+++ b/apptests/kustomize/kustomize_test.go
@@ -33,5 +33,5 @@ metadata:
   namespace: test
 `
 
-	assert.Equal(t, output, expected)
+	assert.Equal(t, string(output), expected)
 }
diff --git a/make/go.mk b/make/go.mk
index 7cb249912..a9a45c4bb 100644
--- a/make/go.mk
+++ b/make/go.mk
@@ -1,7 +1,8 @@
 .PHONY: go-test
 go-test: go-lint
 go-test: install-tool.golang
-	cd hack/release && go test -v -race -covermode=atomic -coverprofile=coverage.out ./...
+	cd apptests && go test -v -race -covermode=atomic -coverprofile=coverage.out ./...
+	cd ../hack/release && go test -v -race -covermode=atomic -coverprofile=coverage.out ./...
 
 .PHONY: mod-tidy
 mod-tidy: install-tool.golang