diff --git a/tests/dot_usage_info.txt b/tests/dot_usage_info.txt
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000000000000000000000000000000000..bb9598522b9344a90fd2bc9b5b8759ea7ee88262
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/dot_usage_info.txt
@@ -0,0 +1,33 @@
+Usage: dot [-Vv?] [-(GNE)name=val] [-(KTlso)<val>] <dot files>
+(additional options for neato)    [-x] [-n<v>]
+(additional options for fdp)      [-L(gO)] [-L(nUCT)<val>]
+(additional options for config)  [-cv]
+
+ -V          - Print version and exit
+ -v          - Enable verbose mode 
+ -Gname=val  - Set graph attribute 'name' to 'val'
+ -Nname=val  - Set node attribute 'name' to 'val'
+ -Ename=val  - Set edge attribute 'name' to 'val'
+ -Tv         - Set output format to 'v'
+ -Kv         - Set layout engine to 'v' (overrides default based on command name)
+ -lv         - Use external library 'v'
+ -ofile      - Write output to 'file'
+ -O          - Automatically generate an output filename based on the input filename with a .'format' appended. (Causes all -ofile options to be ignored.) 
+ -P          - Internally generate a graph of the current plugins. 
+ -q[l]       - Set level of message suppression (=1)
+ -s[v]       - Scale input by 'v' (=72)
+ -y          - Invert y coordinate in output
+
+ -n[v]       - No layout mode 'v' (=1)
+ -x          - Reduce graph
+
+ -Lg         - Don't use grid
+ -LO         - Use old attractive force
+ -Ln<i>      - Set number of iterations to i
+ -LU<i>      - Set unscaled factor to i
+ -LC<v>      - Set overlap expansion factor to v
+ -LT[*]<v>   - Set temperature (temperature factor) to v
+
+ -c          - Configure plugins (Writes $prefix/lib/graphviz/config 
+               with available plugin information.  Needs write privilege.)
+ -?          - Print usage and exit
diff --git a/tests/test_regression.py b/tests/test_regression.py
index 65c0499f5bbe3e2bb6ed1d72b395a878352d8ccf..ba61f3b253205d8220970b49313ee84f7bff617e 100644
--- a/tests/test_regression.py
+++ b/tests/test_regression.py
@@ -39,6 +39,10 @@ from gvtest import (  # pylint: disable=wrong-import-position
     which,
 )
 
+usage_path = Path(__file__).parent / "dot_usage_info.txt"
+with open(usage_path, "rt", encoding="utf-8") as usage_file:
+    dot_usage_info = usage_file.read()
+
 
 def is_ndebug_defined() -> bool:
     """
@@ -3375,43 +3379,6 @@ def test_gvpr_printf(statement: str, expected: str):
     assert result == expected, "incorrect GVPR printf behavior"
 
 
-usage_info = """\
-Usage: dot [-Vv?] [-(GNE)name=val] [-(KTlso)<val>] <dot files>
-(additional options for neato)    [-x] [-n<v>]
-(additional options for fdp)      [-L(gO)] [-L(nUCT)<val>]
-(additional options for config)  [-cv]
-
- -V          - Print version and exit
- -v          - Enable verbose mode 
- -Gname=val  - Set graph attribute 'name' to 'val'
- -Nname=val  - Set node attribute 'name' to 'val'
- -Ename=val  - Set edge attribute 'name' to 'val'
- -Tv         - Set output format to 'v'
- -Kv         - Set layout engine to 'v' (overrides default based on command name)
- -lv         - Use external library 'v'
- -ofile      - Write output to 'file'
- -O          - Automatically generate an output filename based on the input filename with a .'format' appended. (Causes all -ofile options to be ignored.) 
- -P          - Internally generate a graph of the current plugins. 
- -q[l]       - Set level of message suppression (=1)
- -s[v]       - Scale input by 'v' (=72)
- -y          - Invert y coordinate in output
-
- -n[v]       - No layout mode 'v' (=1)
- -x          - Reduce graph
-
- -Lg         - Don't use grid
- -LO         - Use old attractive force
- -Ln<i>      - Set number of iterations to i
- -LU<i>      - Set unscaled factor to i
- -LC<v>      - Set overlap expansion factor to v
- -LT[*]<v>   - Set temperature (temperature factor) to v
-
- -c          - Configure plugins (Writes $prefix/lib/graphviz/config 
-               with available plugin information.  Needs write privilege.)
- -?          - Print usage and exit
-"""
-
-
 def test_dot_questionmarkV():
     """
     test the output from two short options combined
@@ -3422,7 +3389,7 @@ def test_dot_questionmarkV():
         universal_newlines=True,
     )
 
-    assert out == usage_info, "unexpected usage info"
+    assert out == dot_usage_info, "unexpected usage info"
 
 
 def test_dot_randomV():
@@ -3430,7 +3397,7 @@ def test_dot_randomV():
     test the output from a malformed command
     """
 
-    expected = f"Error: dot: option -r unrecognized\n\n{usage_info}"
+    expected = f"Error: dot: option -r unrecognized\n\n{dot_usage_info}"
 
     proc = subprocess.run(
         ["dot", "-randomV"],