diff --git a/scripts/link_pyqt.py b/scripts/link_pyqt.py
index 57eeb9138..82f8cbac5 100644
--- a/scripts/link_pyqt.py
+++ b/scripts/link_pyqt.py
@@ -205,6 +205,10 @@ def main():
     args = parser.parse_args()
 
     if args.tox:
+        #workaround for the lack of negative factors in tox.ini
+        if 'LINK_PYQT_SKIP' in os.environ:
+            print('LINK_PYQT_SKIP set, exiting...')
+            sys.exit(0)
         executable = get_tox_syspython(args.path)
     else:
         executable = sys.executable
diff --git a/tests/unit/scripts/test_check_coverage.py b/tests/unit/scripts/test_check_coverage.py
index 6b18568c5..d7183111f 100644
--- a/tests/unit/scripts/test_check_coverage.py
+++ b/tests/unit/scripts/test_check_coverage.py
@@ -50,6 +50,7 @@ class CovtestHelper:
     def run(self):
         """Run pytest with coverage for the given module.py."""
         coveragerc = str(self._testdir.tmpdir / 'coveragerc')
+        self._monkeypatch.delenv('PYTEST_ADDOPTS', raising=False)
         return self._testdir.runpytest('--cov=module',
                                        '--cov-config={}'.format(coveragerc),
                                        '--cov-report=xml',
diff --git a/tox.ini b/tox.ini
index c0395a621..2ada5ab58 100644
--- a/tox.ini
+++ b/tox.ini
@@ -13,120 +13,24 @@ skipsdist = true
 setenv =
     QT_QPA_PLATFORM_PLUGIN_PATH={envdir}/Lib/site-packages/PyQt5/plugins/platforms
     PYTEST_QT_API=pyqt5
+    pyqt{,56,571,58,59}: LINK_PYQT_SKIP=true
+    pyqt{,56,571,58,59}: QUTE_BDD_WEBENGINE=true
+    cov: PYTEST_ADDOPTS=--cov --cov-report xml --cov-report=html --cov-report=
 passenv = PYTHON DISPLAY XAUTHORITY HOME USERNAME USER CI TRAVIS XDG_* QUTE_* DOCKER
+basepython =
+    py35: python3.5
+    py36: python3.6
 deps =
     -r{toxinidir}/requirements.txt
     -r{toxinidir}/misc/requirements/requirements-tests.txt
+    pyqt: -r{toxinidir}/misc/requirements/requirements-pyqt.txt
+    pyqt571: PyQt5==5.7.1
+    pyqt58: PyQt5==5.8.2
+    pyqt59: PyQt5==5.9.2
 commands =
     {envpython} scripts/link_pyqt.py --tox {envdir}
     {envpython} -bb -m pytest {posargs:tests}
-
-# test envs with PyQt5 from PyPI
-
-[testenv:py35-pyqt56]
-basepython = python3.5
-setenv =
-    {[testenv]setenv}
-    QUTE_BDD_WEBENGINE=true
-passenv = {[testenv]passenv}
-deps =
-    {[testenv]deps}
-    PyQt5==5.6
-commands = {envpython} -bb -m pytest {posargs:tests}
-
-[testenv:py35-pyqt571]
-basepython = python3.5
-setenv =
-    {[testenv]setenv}
-    QUTE_BDD_WEBENGINE=true
-passenv = {[testenv]passenv}
-deps =
-    {[testenv]deps}
-    PyQt5==5.7.1
-commands = {envpython} -bb -m pytest {posargs:tests}
-
-[testenv:py36-pyqt571]
-basepython = python3.6
-setenv =
-    {[testenv]setenv}
-    QUTE_BDD_WEBENGINE=true
-passenv = {[testenv]passenv}
-deps =
-    {[testenv]deps}
-    PyQt5==5.7.1
-commands = {envpython} -bb -m pytest {posargs:tests}
-
-[testenv:py35-pyqt58]
-basepython = python3.5
-setenv =
-    {[testenv]setenv}
-    QUTE_BDD_WEBENGINE=true
-passenv = {[testenv]passenv}
-deps =
-    {[testenv]deps}
-    PyQt5==5.8.2
-commands = {envpython} -bb -m pytest {posargs:tests}
-
-[testenv:py36-pyqt58]
-basepython = {env:PYTHON:python3.6}
-setenv =
-    {[testenv]setenv}
-    QUTE_BDD_WEBENGINE=true
-passenv = {[testenv]passenv}
-deps =
-    {[testenv]deps}
-    PyQt5==5.8.2
-commands = {envpython} -bb -m pytest {posargs:tests}
-
-[testenv:py35-pyqt59]
-basepython = python3.5
-setenv =
-    {[testenv]setenv}
-    QUTE_BDD_WEBENGINE=true
-passenv = {[testenv]passenv}
-deps =
-    {[testenv]deps}
-    PyQt5==5.9.2
-commands = {envpython} -bb -m pytest {posargs:tests}
-
-[testenv:py36-pyqt59]
-basepython = {env:PYTHON:python3.6}
-setenv =
-    {[testenv]setenv}
-    QUTE_BDD_WEBENGINE=true
-passenv = {[testenv]passenv}
-deps =
-    {[testenv]deps}
-    PyQt5==5.9.2
-commands = {envpython} -bb -m pytest {posargs:tests}
-
-# test envs with coverage
-
-[testenv:py35-pyqt59-cov]
-basepython = python3.5
-setenv =
-    {[testenv]setenv}
-    QUTE_BDD_WEBENGINE=true
-passenv = {[testenv]passenv}
-deps =
-    {[testenv]deps}
-    PyQt5==5.9.2
-commands =
-    {envpython} -bb -m pytest --cov --cov-report xml --cov-report=html --cov-report= {posargs:tests}
-    {envpython} scripts/dev/check_coverage.py {posargs}
-
-[testenv:py36-pyqt59-cov]
-basepython = python3.6
-setenv =
-    {[testenv]setenv}
-    QUTE_BDD_WEBENGINE=true
-passenv = {[testenv]passenv}
-deps =
-    {[testenv]deps}
-    PyQt5==5.9.2
-commands =
-    {envpython} -bb -m pytest --cov --cov-report xml --cov-report=html --cov-report= {posargs:tests}
-    {envpython} scripts/dev/check_coverage.py {posargs}
+    cov: {envpython} scripts/dev/check_coverage.py {posargs}
 
 # other envs
 
@@ -196,23 +100,47 @@ setenv = PYTHONPATH={toxinidir}
 commands =
     {envpython} scripts/dev/run_vulture.py
 
+[testenv:vulture-pyqtlink]
+basepython = python3
+deps =
+    -r{toxinidir}/requirements.txt
+    -r{toxinidir}/misc/requirements/requirements-vulture.txt
+setenv = PYTHONPATH={toxinidir}
+commands =
+    {envpython} scripts/link_pyqt.py --tox {envdir}
+    {[testenv:vulture]commands}
+
 [testenv:pylint]
 basepython = {env:PYTHON:python3}
 ignore_errors = true
 passenv =
 deps =
-    {[testenv]deps}
+    -r{toxinidir}/requirements.txt
+    -r{toxinidir}/misc/requirements/requirements-tests.txt
     -r{toxinidir}/misc/requirements/requirements-pylint.txt
     -r{toxinidir}/misc/requirements/requirements-pyqt.txt
 commands =
     {envpython} -m pylint scripts qutebrowser --output-format=colorized --reports=no {posargs}
     {envpython} scripts/dev/run_pylint_on_tests.py {toxinidir} --output-format=colorized --reports=no {posargs}
 
+[testenv:pylint-pyqtlink]
+basepython = {env:PYTHON:python3}
+ignore_errors = true
+passenv =
+deps =
+    -r{toxinidir}/requirements.txt
+    -r{toxinidir}/misc/requirements/requirements-tests.txt
+    -r{toxinidir}/misc/requirements/requirements-pylint.txt
+commands =
+    {envpython} scripts/link_pyqt.py --tox {envdir}
+    {[testenv:pylint]commands}
+
 [testenv:pylint-master]
 basepython = python3
 passenv = {[testenv:pylint]passenv}
 deps =
-    {[testenv]deps}
+    -r{toxinidir}/requirements.txt
+    -r{toxinidir}/misc/requirements/requirements-tests.txt
     -r{toxinidir}/misc/requirements/requirements-pylint-master.txt
 commands =
     {envpython} scripts/link_pyqt.py --tox {envdir}