diff --git a/src/pipeline.jl b/src/pipeline.jl
index 46c8c7f5..7874543d 100644
--- a/src/pipeline.jl
+++ b/src/pipeline.jl
@@ -266,7 +266,7 @@ function _subplot_setup(plt::Plot, plotattributes::AKW, kw_list::Vector{KW})
         sp_attrs[sp] = attr
     end
 
-    _add_plot_title!(plt, plotattributes)
+    _add_plot_title!(plt)
     # override subplot/axis args.  `sp_attrs` take precendence
     for (idx, sp) in enumerate(plt.subplots)
         attr = if !haskey(plotattributes, :subplot) || plotattributes[:subplot] == idx
@@ -287,8 +287,9 @@ function series_idx(kw_list::AVec{KW}, kw::AKW)
     Int(kw[:series_plotindex]) - Int(kw_list[1][:series_plotindex]) + 1
 end
 
-function _add_plot_title!(plt, plotattributes)
+function _add_plot_title!(plt)
     plot_title = plt[:plot_title]
+    plot_titleindex = nothing
 
     if plot_title != ""
         # make new subplot for plot title
@@ -308,9 +309,6 @@ function _add_plot_title!(plt, plotattributes)
             plt[:plot_titleindex] = subplot[:subplot_index]
             subplot[:framestyle] = :none
             subplot[:margin] = 0px
-            # prevents propagation (see JuliaPlots/Plots.jl/issues/4083)
-            pop!(plotattributes, :framestyle, nothing)
-            pop!(plotattributes, :margin, nothing)
             push!(plt.subplots, subplot)
         end
 
@@ -322,7 +320,7 @@ function _add_plot_title!(plt, plotattributes)
         end
     end
 
-    return nothing
+    return plot_titleindex
 end
 
 ## Series recipes
diff --git a/src/plot.jl b/src/plot.jl
index e527e54c..3fa4d044 100644
--- a/src/plot.jl
+++ b/src/plot.jl
@@ -163,11 +163,11 @@ function plot!(plt1::Plot, plt2::Plot, plts_tail::Plot...; kw...)
             cmdidx += 1
         end
     end
-    _add_plot_title!(plt, plotattributes)
+    ttl_idx = _add_plot_title!(plt)
 
     # first apply any args for the subplots
     for (idx, sp) in enumerate(plt.subplots)
-        _update_subplot_args(plt, sp, plotattributes, idx, false)
+        _update_subplot_args(plt, sp, idx == ttl_idx ? KW() : plotattributes, idx, false)
     end
 
     # finish up
diff --git a/test/runtests.jl b/test/runtests.jl
index 66885cff..a52631ea 100644
--- a/test/runtests.jl
+++ b/test/runtests.jl
@@ -37,19 +37,25 @@ end
     Plots.use_local_dependencies[] = temp
 end
 
-include("test_defaults.jl")
-include("test_pipeline.jl")
-include("test_axes.jl")
-include("test_layouts.jl")
-include("test_contours.jl")
-include("test_axis_letter.jl")
-include("test_components.jl")
-include("test_shorthands.jl")
-include("integration_dates.jl")
-include("test_recipes.jl")
-include("test_hdf5plots.jl")
-include("test_pgfplotsx.jl")
-include("test_plotly.jl")
+for fn in (
+    "test_defaults.jl"
+    "test_pipeline.jl"
+    "test_axes.jl"
+    "test_layouts.jl"
+    "test_contours.jl"
+    "test_axis_letter.jl"
+    "test_components.jl"
+    "test_shorthands.jl"
+    "integration_dates.jl"
+    "test_recipes.jl"
+    "test_hdf5plots.jl"
+    "test_pgfplotsx.jl"
+    "test_plotly.jl"
+)
+    @testset "$fn" begin
+        include(fn)
+    end
+end
 
 reference_dir(args...) =
     joinpath(homedir(), ".julia", "dev", "PlotReferenceImages", args...)