diff --git a/yt/data_objects/static_output.py b/yt/data_objects/static_output.py
index f211606997d..78cf39ff25f 100644
--- a/yt/data_objects/static_output.py
+++ b/yt/data_objects/static_output.py
@@ -9,6 +9,7 @@
 from stat import ST_CTIME
 
 import numpy as np
+from unyt.exceptions import UnitConversionError, UnitParseError
 
 from yt.config import ytcfg
 from yt.data_objects.particle_filters import filter_registry
@@ -215,9 +216,7 @@ def __init__(
         self.known_filters = self.known_filters or {}
         self.particle_unions = self.particle_unions or {}
         self.field_units = self.field_units or {}
-        if units_override is None:
-            units_override = {}
-        self.units_override = units_override
+        self.units_override = self.__class__._sanitize_units_override(units_override)
 
         # path stuff
         self.parameter_filename = str(filename)
@@ -1116,6 +1115,8 @@ def _assign_unit_system(self, unit_system):
         self.unit_registry.unit_system = self.unit_system
 
     def _create_unit_registry(self, unit_system):
+        from yt.units import dimensions
+
         # yt assumes a CGS unit system by default (for back compat reasons).
         # Since unyt is MKS by default we specify the MKS values of the base
         # units in the CGS system. So, for length, 1 cm = .01 m. And so on.
@@ -1243,29 +1244,113 @@ def set_code_units(self):
                 "unitary", float(DW.max() * DW.units.base_value), DW.units.dimensions
             )
 
+    @classmethod
+    def _validate_units_override_keys(cls, units_override):
+        valid_keys = set(cls.default_units.keys())
+        invalid_keys_found = set(units_override.keys()) - valid_keys
+        if invalid_keys_found:
+            raise ValueError(
+                f"units_override contains invalid keys: {invalid_keys_found}"
+            )
+
+    default_units = {
+        "length_unit": "cm",
+        "time_unit": "s",
+        "mass_unit": "g",
+        "velocity_unit": "cm/s",
+        "magnetic_unit": "gauss",
+        "temperature_unit": "K",
+    }
+
+    @classmethod
+    def _sanitize_units_override(cls, units_override):
+        """
+        Convert units_override values to valid input types for unyt.
+        Throw meaningful errors early if units_override is ill-formed.
+
+        Parameters
+        ----------
+        units_override : dict
+
+            keys should be strings with format  "<dim>_unit" (e.g. "mass_unit"), and
+            need to match a key in cls.default_units
+
+            values should be mappable to unyt.unyt_quantity objects, and can be any
+            combinations of:
+                - unyt.unyt_quantity
+                - 2-long sequence (tuples, list, ...) with types (number, str)
+                  e.g. (10, "km"), (0.1, "s")
+                - number (in which case the associated is taken from cls.default_unit)
+
+
+        Raises
+        ------
+        TypeError
+            If unit_override has invalid types
+
+        ValueError
+            If provided units do not match the intended dimensionality,
+            or in case of a zero scaling factor.
+
+        """
+        uo = {}
+        if units_override is None:
+            return uo
+
+        cls._validate_units_override_keys(units_override)
+
+        for key in cls.default_units:
+            try:
+                val = units_override[key]
+            except KeyError:
+                continue
+
+            # Now attempt to instanciate a unyt.unyt_quantity from val ...
+            try:
+                # ... directly (valid if val is a number, or a unyt_quantity)
+                uo[key] = YTQuantity(val)
+                continue
+            except RuntimeError:
+                # note that unyt.unyt_quantity throws RuntimeError in lieu of TypeError
+                pass
+            try:
+                # ... with tuple unpacking (valid if val is a sequence)
+                uo[key] = YTQuantity(*val)
+                continue
+            except (RuntimeError, TypeError, UnitParseError):
+                pass
+            raise TypeError(
+                "units_override values should be 2-sequence (float, str), "
+                "YTQuantity objects or real numbers; "
+                f"received {val} with type {type(val)}."
+            )
+        for key, q in uo.items():
+            if q.units.is_dimensionless:
+                uo[key] = YTQuantity(q, cls.default_units[key])
+            try:
+                uo[key].to(cls.default_units[key])
+            except UnitConversionError as err:
+                raise ValueError(
+                    "Inconsistent dimensionality in units_override. "
+                    f"Received {key} = {uo[key]}"
+                ) from err
+            if 1 / uo[key].value == np.inf:
+                raise ValueError(
+                    f"Invalid 0 normalisation factor in units_override for {key}."
+                )
+        return uo
+
     def _override_code_units(self):
-        if len(self.units_override) == 0:
+        if not self.units_override:
             return
+
         mylog.warning(
             "Overriding code units: Use this option only if you know that the "
             "dataset doesn't define the units correctly or at all."
         )
-        for unit, cgs in [
-            ("length", "cm"),
-            ("time", "s"),
-            ("mass", "g"),
-            ("velocity", "cm/s"),
-            ("magnetic", "gauss"),
-            ("temperature", "K"),
-        ]:
-            val = self.units_override.get(f"{unit}_unit", None)
-            if val is not None:
-                if isinstance(val, YTQuantity):
-                    val = (val.v, str(val.units))
-                elif not isinstance(val, tuple):
-                    val = (val, cgs)
-                mylog.info("Overriding %s_unit: %g %s.", unit, val[0], val[1])
-                setattr(self, f"{unit}_unit", self.quan(val[0], val[1]))
+        for ukey, val in self.units_override.items():
+            mylog.info("Overriding %s: %s.", ukey, val)
+            setattr(self, ukey, self.quan(val))
 
     _units = None
     _unit_system_id = None
diff --git a/yt/data_objects/tests/test_units_override.py b/yt/data_objects/tests/test_units_override.py
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..c874a4ba433
--- /dev/null
+++ b/yt/data_objects/tests/test_units_override.py
@@ -0,0 +1,70 @@
+from functools import partial
+
+from yt.data_objects.static_output import Dataset
+from yt.testing import assert_raises
+from yt.units import YTQuantity
+from yt.units.unit_registry import UnitRegistry
+
+mock_quan = partial(YTQuantity, registry=UnitRegistry())
+
+
+def test_schema_validation():
+
+    valid_schemas = [
+        {"length_unit": 1.0},
+        {"length_unit": [1.0]},
+        {"length_unit": (1.0,)},
+        {"length_unit": int(1.0)},
+        {"length_unit": (1.0, "m")},
+        {"length_unit": [1.0, "m"]},
+        {"length_unit": YTQuantity(1.0, "m")},
+    ]
+
+    for schema in valid_schemas:
+        uo = Dataset._sanitize_units_override(schema)
+        for v in uo.values():
+            q = mock_quan(v)  # check that no error (TypeError) is raised
+            q.to("pc")  # check that q is a length
+
+
+def test_invalid_schema_detection():
+    invalid_key_schemas = [
+        {"len_unit": 1.0},  # plain invalid key
+        {"lenght_unit": 1.0},  # typo
+    ]
+    for invalid_schema in invalid_key_schemas:
+        assert_raises(ValueError, Dataset._sanitize_units_override, invalid_schema)
+
+    invalid_val_schemas = [
+        {"length_unit": [1, 1, 1]},  # len(val) > 2
+        {"length_unit": [1, 1, 1, 1, 1]},  # "data type not understood" in unyt
+    ]
+
+    for invalid_schema in invalid_val_schemas:
+        assert_raises(TypeError, Dataset._sanitize_units_override, invalid_schema)
+
+    # 0 shouldn't make sense
+    invalid_number_schemas = [
+        {"length_unit": 0},
+        {"length_unit": [0]},
+        {"length_unit": (0,)},
+        {"length_unit": (0, "cm")},
+    ]
+    for invalid_schema in invalid_number_schemas:
+        assert_raises(ValueError, Dataset._sanitize_units_override, invalid_schema)
+
+
+def test_typing_error_detection():
+    invalid_schema = {"length_unit": "1m"}
+
+    # this is the error that is raised by unyt on bad input
+    assert_raises(RuntimeError, mock_quan, invalid_schema["length_unit"])
+
+    # check that the sanitizer function is able to catch the
+    # type issue before passing down to unyt
+    assert_raises(TypeError, Dataset._sanitize_units_override, invalid_schema)
+
+
+def test_dimensionality_error_detection():
+    invalid_schema = {"length_unit": YTQuantity(1.0, "s")}
+    assert_raises(ValueError, Dataset._sanitize_units_override, invalid_schema)
diff --git a/yt/frontends/amrvac/data_structures.py b/yt/frontends/amrvac/data_structures.py
index 23650b45d68..3934d937174 100644
--- a/yt/frontends/amrvac/data_structures.py
+++ b/yt/frontends/amrvac/data_structures.py
@@ -4,8 +4,6 @@
 
 
 """
-
-
 import os
 import stat
 import struct
@@ -24,14 +22,6 @@
 from .datfile_utils import get_header, get_tree_info
 from .fields import AMRVACFieldInfo
 
-ALLOWED_UNIT_COMBINATIONS = [
-    {"numberdensity_unit", "temperature_unit", "length_unit"},
-    {"mass_unit", "temperature_unit", "length_unit"},
-    {"mass_unit", "time_unit", "length_unit"},
-    {"numberdensity_unit", "velocity_unit", "length_unit"},
-    {"mass_unit", "velocity_unit", "length_unit"},
-]
-
 
 class AMRVACGrid(AMRGridPatch):
     """A class to populate AMRVACHierarchy.grids, setting parent/children relations."""
@@ -86,23 +76,17 @@ def __init__(self, ds, dataset_type="amrvac"):
         super(AMRVACHierarchy, self).__init__(ds, dataset_type)
 
     def _detect_output_fields(self):
-        """
-        Parse field names from datfile header, as stored in self.dataset.parameters
-
-        """
-        # required method
+        """Parse field names from the header, as stored in self.dataset.parameters"""
         self.field_list = [
             (self.dataset_type, f) for f in self.dataset.parameters["w_names"]
         ]
 
     def _count_grids(self):
         """Set self.num_grids from datfile header."""
-        # required method
         self.num_grids = self.dataset.parameters["nleafs"]
 
     def _parse_index(self):
         """Populate self.grid_* attributes from tree info from datfile header."""
-        # required method
         with open(self.index_filename, "rb") as istream:
             vaclevels, morton_indices, block_offsets = get_tree_info(istream)
             assert (
@@ -243,7 +227,6 @@ def __init__(
     @classmethod
     def _is_valid(self, *args, **kwargs):
         """At load time, check whether data is recognized as AMRVAC formatted."""
-        # required class method
         validation = False
         if args[0].endswith(".dat"):
             try:
@@ -278,7 +261,7 @@ def _parse_geometry(self, geometry_tag):
         Returns
         -------
         geometry_yt : str
-            Lower case geometry tag "cartesian", "polar", "cylindrical" or "spherical"
+            Lower case geometry tag ("cartesian", "polar", "cylindrical" or "spherical")
 
         Examples
         --------
@@ -384,17 +367,9 @@ def _parse_parameter_file(self):
     # units stuff ======================================================================
     def _set_code_unit_attributes(self):
         """Reproduce how AMRVAC internally set up physical normalisation factors."""
-        # required method
-        # devnote: this method is never defined in the parent abstract class Dataset
-        # but it is called in Dataset.set_code_units(), which is part of
-        # Dataset.__init__() so it must be defined here.
-
-        # devnote: this gets called later than Dataset._override_code_units()
+        # This gets called later than Dataset._override_code_units()
         # This is the reason why it uses setdefaultattr: it will only fill in the gaps
         # left by the "override", instead of overriding them again.
-        # For the same reason, self.units_override is set, as well as corresponding
-        # *_unit instance attributes which may include up to 3 of the following items:
-        # length, time, mass, velocity, number_density, temperature
 
         # note: yt sets hydrogen mass equal to proton mass, amrvac doesn't.
         mp_cgs = self.quan(1.672621898e-24, "g")  # This value is taken from AstroPy
@@ -408,23 +383,17 @@ def _set_code_unit_attributes(self):
             # in this case unit_mass is supplied (and has been set as attribute)
             mass_unit = self.mass_unit
             density_unit = mass_unit / length_unit ** 3
-            numberdensity_unit = density_unit / ((1.0 + 4.0 * He_abundance) * mp_cgs)
+            nd_unit = density_unit / ((1.0 + 4.0 * He_abundance) * mp_cgs)
         else:
             # other case: numberdensity is supplied.
             # Fall back to one (default) if no overrides supplied
-            numberdensity_override = self.units_override.get(
-                "numberdensity_unit", (1, "cm**-3")
-            )
-            if (
-                "numberdensity_unit" in self.units_override
-            ):  # print similar warning as yt when overriding numberdensity
-                mylog.info(
-                    "Overriding numberdensity_unit: %g %s.", *numberdensity_override
+            try:
+                nd_unit = self.quan(self.units_override["numberdensity_unit"])
+            except KeyError:
+                nd_unit = self.quan(
+                    1.0, self.__class__.default_units["numberdensity_unit"]
                 )
-            numberdensity_unit = self.quan(
-                *numberdensity_override
-            )  # numberdensity is never set as attribute
-            density_unit = (1.0 + 4.0 * He_abundance) * mp_cgs * numberdensity_unit
+            density_unit = (1.0 + 4.0 * He_abundance) * mp_cgs * nd_unit
             mass_unit = density_unit * length_unit ** 3
 
         # 2. calculations for velocity
@@ -442,18 +411,14 @@ def _set_code_unit_attributes(self):
             # Fall back to one (default) if not
             temperature_unit = getattr(self, "temperature_unit", self.quan(1, "K"))
             pressure_unit = (
-                (2.0 + 3.0 * He_abundance)
-                * numberdensity_unit
-                * kb_cgs
-                * temperature_unit
+                (2.0 + 3.0 * He_abundance) * nd_unit * kb_cgs * temperature_unit
             ).in_cgs()
             velocity_unit = (np.sqrt(pressure_unit / density_unit)).in_cgs()
         else:
             # velocity is not zero if either time was given OR velocity was given
             pressure_unit = (density_unit * velocity_unit ** 2).in_cgs()
             temperature_unit = (
-                pressure_unit
-                / ((2.0 + 3.0 * He_abundance) * numberdensity_unit * kb_cgs)
+                pressure_unit / ((2.0 + 3.0 * He_abundance) * nd_unit * kb_cgs)
             ).in_cgs()
 
         # 4. calculations for magnetic unit and time
@@ -464,7 +429,6 @@ def _set_code_unit_attributes(self):
 
         setdefaultattr(self, "mass_unit", mass_unit)
         setdefaultattr(self, "density_unit", density_unit)
-        setdefaultattr(self, "numberdensity_unit", numberdensity_unit)
 
         setdefaultattr(self, "length_unit", length_unit)
         setdefaultattr(self, "velocity_unit", velocity_unit)
@@ -474,48 +438,61 @@ def _set_code_unit_attributes(self):
         setdefaultattr(self, "pressure_unit", pressure_unit)
         setdefaultattr(self, "magnetic_unit", magnetic_unit)
 
-    def _override_code_units(self):
-        """Add a check step to the base class' method (Dataset)."""
-        self._check_override_consistency()
-        super(AMRVACDataset, self)._override_code_units()
-
-    def _check_override_consistency(self):
-        """Check that keys in units_override are consistent with respect to AMRVAC's
-        internal way to set up normalisations factors.
+    allowed_unit_combinations = [
+        {"numberdensity_unit", "temperature_unit", "length_unit"},
+        {"mass_unit", "temperature_unit", "length_unit"},
+        {"mass_unit", "time_unit", "length_unit"},
+        {"numberdensity_unit", "velocity_unit", "length_unit"},
+        {"mass_unit", "velocity_unit", "length_unit"},
+    ]
+
+    default_units = {
+        "length_unit": "cm",
+        "time_unit": "s",
+        "mass_unit": "g",
+        "velocity_unit": "cm/s",
+        "magnetic_unit": "gauss",
+        "temperature_unit": "K",
+        # this is the one difference with Dataset.default_units:
+        # we accept numberdensity_unit as a valid override
+        "numberdensity_unit": "cm**-3",
+    }
 
+    @classmethod
+    def _validate_units_override_keys(cls, units_override):
+        """Check that keys in units_override are consistent with AMRVAC's internal
+        normalisations factors.
         """
-        # frontend specific method
         # YT supports overriding other normalisations, this method ensures consistency
         # between supplied 'units_override' items and those used by AMRVAC.
 
         # AMRVAC's normalisations/units have 3 degrees of freedom.
         # Moreover, if temperature unit is specified then velocity unit will be
         # calculated accordingly, and vice-versa.
-        # We replicate this by allowing a finite set of combinations in units_override
-        if not self.units_override:
-            return
-        overrides = set(self.units_override)
+        # We replicate this by allowing a finite set of combinations.
 
         # there are only three degrees of freedom, so explicitly check for this
-        if len(overrides) > 3:
+        if len(units_override) > 3:
             raise ValueError(
                 "More than 3 degrees of freedom were specified "
-                "in units_override ({} given)".format(len(overrides))
+                f"in units_override ({len(units_override)} given)"
             )
         # temperature and velocity cannot both be specified
-        if "temperature_unit" in overrides and "velocity_unit" in overrides:
+        if "temperature_unit" in units_override and "velocity_unit" in units_override:
             raise ValueError(
                 "Either temperature or velocity is allowed in units_override, not both."
             )
         # check if provided overrides are allowed
-        for allowed_combo in ALLOWED_UNIT_COMBINATIONS:
-            if overrides.issubset(allowed_combo):
+        suo = set(units_override)
+        for allowed_combo in cls.allowed_unit_combinations:
+            if suo.issubset(allowed_combo):
                 break
         else:
             raise ValueError(
-                "Combination {} passed to units_override "
-                "is not consistent with AMRVAC. \n"
-                "Allowed combinations are {}".format(
-                    overrides, ALLOWED_UNIT_COMBINATIONS
-                )
+                f"Combination {suo} passed to units_override "
+                "is not consistent with AMRVAC.\n"
+                f"Allowed combinations are {cls.allowed_unit_combinations}"
             )
+
+        # syntax for mixing super with classmethod is weird...
+        super(cls, cls)._validate_units_override_keys(units_override)
diff --git a/yt/frontends/amrvac/tests/test_outputs.py b/yt/frontends/amrvac/tests/test_outputs.py
index 0aae58e6bb9..0e7f89747d8 100644
--- a/yt/frontends/amrvac/tests/test_outputs.py
+++ b/yt/frontends/amrvac/tests/test_outputs.py
@@ -2,8 +2,8 @@
 
 import yt  # NOQA
 from yt.frontends.amrvac.api import AMRVACDataset, AMRVACGrid
-from yt.testing import assert_allclose_units, assert_raises, requires_file
-from yt.units import YTQuantity
+from yt.testing import requires_file
+from yt.units import YTArray
 from yt.utilities.answer_testing.framework import (
     data_dir_load,
     requires_ds,
@@ -59,8 +59,8 @@ def test_grid_attributes():
     assert ds.index.max_level == 2
     for g in grids:
         assert isinstance(g, AMRVACGrid)
-        assert isinstance(g.LeftEdge, yt.units.yt_array.YTArray)
-        assert isinstance(g.RightEdge, yt.units.yt_array.YTArray)
+        assert isinstance(g.LeftEdge, YTArray)
+        assert isinstance(g.RightEdge, YTArray)
         assert isinstance(g.ActiveDimensions, np.ndarray)
         assert isinstance(g.Level, (np.int32, np.int64, int))
 
@@ -136,126 +136,3 @@ def test_rmi_cartesian_dust_2D():
     for test in small_patch_amr(ds, _get_fields_to_check(ds)):
         test_rmi_cartesian_dust_2D.__name__ = test.description
         yield test
-
-
-# Tests for units: verify that overriding certain units yields the correct derived units
-# The following are correct normalisations based on length, numberdensity and temp
-length_unit = (1e9, "cm")
-numberdensity_unit = (1e9, "cm**-3")
-temperature_unit = (1e6, "K")
-density_unit = (2.341670657200000e-15, "g*cm**-3")
-mass_unit = (2.341670657200000e12, "g")
-velocity_unit = (1.164508387441102e07, "cm*s**-1")
-pressure_unit = (3.175492240000000e-01, "dyn*cm**-2")
-time_unit = (8.587314705370271e01, "s")
-magnetic_unit = (1.997608879907716, "gauss")
-
-
-def _assert_normalisations_equal(ds):
-    assert_allclose_units(ds.length_unit, YTQuantity(*length_unit))
-    assert_allclose_units(ds.numberdensity_unit, YTQuantity(*numberdensity_unit))
-    assert_allclose_units(ds.temperature_unit, YTQuantity(*temperature_unit))
-    assert_allclose_units(ds.density_unit, YTQuantity(*density_unit))
-    assert_allclose_units(ds.mass_unit, YTQuantity(*mass_unit))
-    assert_allclose_units(ds.velocity_unit, YTQuantity(*velocity_unit))
-    assert_allclose_units(ds.pressure_unit, YTQuantity(*pressure_unit))
-    assert_allclose_units(ds.time_unit, YTQuantity(*time_unit))
-    assert_allclose_units(ds.magnetic_unit, YTQuantity(*magnetic_unit))
-
-
-@requires_file(khi_cartesian_2D)
-def test_normalisations_length_temp_nb():
-    # overriding length, temperature, numberdensity
-    overrides = dict(
-        length_unit=length_unit,
-        temperature_unit=temperature_unit,
-        numberdensity_unit=numberdensity_unit,
-    )
-    ds = data_dir_load(khi_cartesian_2D, kwargs={"units_override": overrides})
-    _assert_normalisations_equal(ds)
-
-
-@requires_file(khi_cartesian_2D)
-def test_normalisations_length_temp_mass():
-    # overriding length, temperature, mass
-    overrides = dict(
-        length_unit=length_unit, temperature_unit=temperature_unit, mass_unit=mass_unit
-    )
-    ds = data_dir_load(khi_cartesian_2D, kwargs={"units_override": overrides})
-    _assert_normalisations_equal(ds)
-
-
-@requires_file(khi_cartesian_2D)
-def test_normalisations_length_time_mass():
-    # overriding length, time, mass
-    overrides = dict(length_unit=length_unit, time_unit=time_unit, mass_unit=mass_unit)
-    ds = data_dir_load(khi_cartesian_2D, kwargs={"units_override": overrides})
-    _assert_normalisations_equal(ds)
-
-
-@requires_file(khi_cartesian_2D)
-def test_normalisations_length_vel_nb():
-    # overriding length, velocity, numberdensity
-    overrides = dict(
-        length_unit=length_unit,
-        velocity_unit=velocity_unit,
-        numberdensity_unit=numberdensity_unit,
-    )
-    ds = data_dir_load(khi_cartesian_2D, kwargs={"units_override": overrides})
-    _assert_normalisations_equal(ds)
-
-
-@requires_file(khi_cartesian_2D)
-def test_normalisations_length_vel_mass():
-    # overriding length, velocity, mass
-    overrides = dict(
-        length_unit=length_unit, velocity_unit=velocity_unit, mass_unit=mass_unit
-    )
-    ds = data_dir_load(khi_cartesian_2D, kwargs={"units_override": overrides})
-    _assert_normalisations_equal(ds)
-
-
-@requires_file(khi_cartesian_2D)
-def test_normalisations_default():
-    # test default normalisations, without overrides
-    ds = data_dir_load(khi_cartesian_2D)
-    assert_allclose_units(ds.length_unit, YTQuantity(1, "cm"))
-    assert_allclose_units(ds.numberdensity_unit, YTQuantity(1, "cm**-3"))
-    assert_allclose_units(ds.temperature_unit, YTQuantity(1, "K"))
-    assert_allclose_units(
-        ds.density_unit, YTQuantity(2.341670657200000e-24, "g*cm**-3")
-    )
-    assert_allclose_units(ds.mass_unit, YTQuantity(2.341670657200000e-24, "g"))
-    assert_allclose_units(
-        ds.velocity_unit, YTQuantity(1.164508387441102e04, "cm*s**-1")
-    )
-    assert_allclose_units(
-        ds.pressure_unit, YTQuantity(3.175492240000000e-16, "dyn*cm**-2")
-    )
-    assert_allclose_units(ds.time_unit, YTQuantity(8.587314705370271e-05, "s"))
-    assert_allclose_units(ds.magnetic_unit, YTQuantity(6.316993934686148e-08, "gauss"))
-
-
-@requires_file(khi_cartesian_2D)
-def test_normalisations_too_many_args():
-    # test forbidden case: too many arguments (max 3 are allowed)
-    overrides = dict(
-        length_unit=length_unit,
-        numberdensity_unit=numberdensity_unit,
-        temperature_unit=temperature_unit,
-        time_unit=time_unit,
-    )
-    with assert_raises(ValueError):
-        data_dir_load(khi_cartesian_2D, kwargs={"units_override": overrides})
-
-
-@requires_file(khi_cartesian_2D)
-def test_normalisations_vel_and_length():
-    # test forbidden case: both velocity and temperature are specified as overrides
-    overrides = dict(
-        length_unit=length_unit,
-        velocity_unit=velocity_unit,
-        temperature_unit=temperature_unit,
-    )
-    with assert_raises(ValueError):
-        data_dir_load(khi_cartesian_2D, kwargs={"units_override": overrides})
diff --git a/yt/frontends/amrvac/tests/test_units_override.py b/yt/frontends/amrvac/tests/test_units_override.py
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..3d3074cdadb
--- /dev/null
+++ b/yt/frontends/amrvac/tests/test_units_override.py
@@ -0,0 +1,126 @@
+from yt.testing import assert_allclose_units, assert_raises, requires_file
+from yt.units import YTQuantity
+from yt.utilities.answer_testing.framework import data_dir_load
+
+khi_cartesian_2D = "amrvac/kh_2d0000.dat"
+
+# Tests for units: check that overriding certain units yields the correct derived units.
+# The following are the correct normalisations
+# based on length, numberdensity and temperature
+length_unit = (1e9, "cm")
+numberdensity_unit = (1e9, "cm**-3")
+temperature_unit = (1e6, "K")
+density_unit = (2.341670657200000e-15, "g*cm**-3")
+mass_unit = (2.341670657200000e12, "g")
+velocity_unit = (1.164508387441102e07, "cm*s**-1")
+pressure_unit = (3.175492240000000e-01, "dyn*cm**-2")
+time_unit = (8.587314705370271e01, "s")
+magnetic_unit = (1.997608879907716, "gauss")
+
+
+def _assert_normalisations_equal(ds):
+    assert_allclose_units(ds.length_unit, YTQuantity(*length_unit))
+    assert_allclose_units(ds.temperature_unit, YTQuantity(*temperature_unit))
+    assert_allclose_units(ds.density_unit, YTQuantity(*density_unit))
+    assert_allclose_units(ds.mass_unit, YTQuantity(*mass_unit))
+    assert_allclose_units(ds.velocity_unit, YTQuantity(*velocity_unit))
+    assert_allclose_units(ds.pressure_unit, YTQuantity(*pressure_unit))
+    assert_allclose_units(ds.time_unit, YTQuantity(*time_unit))
+    assert_allclose_units(ds.magnetic_unit, YTQuantity(*magnetic_unit))
+
+
+@requires_file(khi_cartesian_2D)
+def test_normalisations_length_temp_nb():
+    # overriding length, temperature, numberdensity
+    overrides = dict(
+        length_unit=length_unit,
+        temperature_unit=temperature_unit,
+        numberdensity_unit=numberdensity_unit,
+    )
+    ds = data_dir_load(khi_cartesian_2D, kwargs={"units_override": overrides})
+    _assert_normalisations_equal(ds)
+
+
+@requires_file(khi_cartesian_2D)
+def test_normalisations_length_temp_mass():
+    # overriding length, temperature, mass
+    overrides = dict(
+        length_unit=length_unit, temperature_unit=temperature_unit, mass_unit=mass_unit
+    )
+    ds = data_dir_load(khi_cartesian_2D, kwargs={"units_override": overrides})
+    _assert_normalisations_equal(ds)
+
+
+@requires_file(khi_cartesian_2D)
+def test_normalisations_length_time_mass():
+    # overriding length, time, mass
+    overrides = dict(length_unit=length_unit, time_unit=time_unit, mass_unit=mass_unit)
+    ds = data_dir_load(khi_cartesian_2D, kwargs={"units_override": overrides})
+    _assert_normalisations_equal(ds)
+
+
+@requires_file(khi_cartesian_2D)
+def test_normalisations_length_vel_nb():
+    # overriding length, velocity, numberdensity
+    overrides = dict(
+        length_unit=length_unit,
+        velocity_unit=velocity_unit,
+        numberdensity_unit=numberdensity_unit,
+    )
+    ds = data_dir_load(khi_cartesian_2D, kwargs={"units_override": overrides})
+    _assert_normalisations_equal(ds)
+
+
+@requires_file(khi_cartesian_2D)
+def test_normalisations_length_vel_mass():
+    # overriding length, velocity, mass
+    overrides = dict(
+        length_unit=length_unit, velocity_unit=velocity_unit, mass_unit=mass_unit
+    )
+    ds = data_dir_load(khi_cartesian_2D, kwargs={"units_override": overrides})
+    _assert_normalisations_equal(ds)
+
+
+@requires_file(khi_cartesian_2D)
+def test_normalisations_default():
+    # test default normalisations, without overrides
+    ds = data_dir_load(khi_cartesian_2D)
+    assert_allclose_units(ds.length_unit, YTQuantity(1, "cm"))
+    assert_allclose_units(ds.temperature_unit, YTQuantity(1, "K"))
+    assert_allclose_units(
+        ds.density_unit, YTQuantity(2.341670657200000e-24, "g*cm**-3")
+    )
+    assert_allclose_units(ds.mass_unit, YTQuantity(2.341670657200000e-24, "g"))
+    assert_allclose_units(
+        ds.velocity_unit, YTQuantity(1.164508387441102e04, "cm*s**-1")
+    )
+    assert_allclose_units(
+        ds.pressure_unit, YTQuantity(3.175492240000000e-16, "dyn*cm**-2")
+    )
+    assert_allclose_units(ds.time_unit, YTQuantity(8.587314705370271e-05, "s"))
+    assert_allclose_units(ds.magnetic_unit, YTQuantity(6.316993934686148e-08, "gauss"))
+
+
+@requires_file(khi_cartesian_2D)
+def test_normalisations_too_many_args():
+    # test forbidden case: too many arguments (max 3 are allowed)
+    overrides = dict(
+        length_unit=length_unit,
+        numberdensity_unit=numberdensity_unit,
+        temperature_unit=temperature_unit,
+        time_unit=time_unit,
+    )
+    with assert_raises(ValueError):
+        data_dir_load(khi_cartesian_2D, kwargs={"units_override": overrides})
+
+
+@requires_file(khi_cartesian_2D)
+def test_normalisations_vel_and_length():
+    # test forbidden case: both velocity and temperature are specified as overrides
+    overrides = dict(
+        length_unit=length_unit,
+        velocity_unit=velocity_unit,
+        temperature_unit=temperature_unit,
+    )
+    with assert_raises(ValueError):
+        data_dir_load(khi_cartesian_2D, kwargs={"units_override": overrides})
diff --git a/yt/testing.py b/yt/testing.py
index caced3e68e2..0ad6081c840 100644
--- a/yt/testing.py
+++ b/yt/testing.py
@@ -867,7 +867,7 @@ def units_override_check(fn):
         unit_attr = getattr(ds1, f"{u}_unit", None)
         if unit_attr is not None:
             attrs1.append(unit_attr)
-            units_override[f"{u}_unit"] = (unit_attr.v, str(unit_attr.units))
+            units_override[f"{u}_unit"] = (unit_attr.v, unit_attr.units)
     del ds1
     ds2 = load(fn, units_override=units_override)
     assert len(ds2.units_override) > 0