diff --git a/src/compiler/glsl/tests/lower_jumps/create_test_cases.py b/src/compiler/glsl/tests/lower_jumps/create_test_cases.py
index 3be1079bc14..defff2ed34f 100644
--- a/src/compiler/glsl/tests/lower_jumps/create_test_cases.py
+++ b/src/compiler/glsl/tests/lower_jumps/create_test_cases.py
@@ -21,6 +21,7 @@
 # FROM, OUT OF OR IN CONNECTION WITH THE SOFTWARE OR THE USE OR OTHER
 # DEALINGS IN THE SOFTWARE.
 
+import argparse
 import os
 import os.path
 import re
@@ -30,6 +31,7 @@ import sys
 sys.path.insert(0, os.path.join(os.path.dirname(__file__), '..')) # For access to sexps.py, which is in parent dir
 from sexps import *
 
+outdir = "."
 def make_test_case(f_name, ret_type, body):
     """Create a simple optimization test case consisting of a single
     function with the given name, return type, and body.
@@ -289,14 +291,14 @@ def create_test_case(doc_string, input_sexp, expected_sexp, test_name,
             pull_out_jumps, lower_sub_return, lower_main_return,
             lower_continue, lower_break))
     args = ['../../glsl_test', 'optpass', '--quiet', '--input-ir', optimization]
-    test_file = '{0}.opt_test'.format(test_name)
+    test_file = os.path.join(outdir, '{0}.opt_test'.format(test_name))
     with open(test_file, 'w') as f:
         f.write('#!/usr/bin/env bash\n#\n# This file was generated by create_test_cases.py.\n#\n')
         f.write(doc_string)
         f.write('{0} <<EOF\n'.format(bash_quote(*args)))
         f.write('{0}\nEOF\n'.format(input_str))
     os.chmod(test_file, 0774)
-    expected_file = '{0}.opt_test.expected'.format(test_name)
+    expected_file = os.path.join(outdir, '{0}.opt_test.expected'.format(test_name))
     with open(expected_file, 'w') as f:
         f.write('{0}\n'.format(expected_output))
 
@@ -623,6 +625,13 @@ def test_lower_return_non_void_at_end_of_loop():
                      lower_sub_return=True, lower_break=True)
 
 if __name__ == '__main__':
+    parser = argparse.ArgumentParser()
+    parser.add_argument('--outdir',
+                        help='Directory to put the generated files in',
+                        required=True)
+    args = parser.parse_args()
+    outdir = args.outdir
+
     test_lower_returns_main()
     test_lower_returns_sub()
     test_lower_returns_1()
diff --git a/src/compiler/glsl/tests/optimization-test.sh b/src/compiler/glsl/tests/optimization-test.sh
index 47970c6be29..1113cb1f17c 100755
--- a/src/compiler/glsl/tests/optimization-test.sh
+++ b/src/compiler/glsl/tests/optimization-test.sh
@@ -28,13 +28,19 @@ compare_ir=$srcdir/glsl/tests/compare_ir.py
 total=0
 pass=0
 
+# Store our location before we start diving into subdirectories.
+ORIGDIR=`pwd`
 echo "======       Generating tests      ======"
-for dir in tests/*/; do
+for dir in $srcdir/glsl/tests/*/; do
     if [ -e "${dir}create_test_cases.py" ]; then
-        cd $dir; $PYTHON2 create_test_cases.py; cd ..
+        # construct the correct builddir
+        completedir="$abs_builddir/glsl/tests/`echo ${dir} | sed 's|.*/glsl/tests/||g'`"
+        mkdir -p $completedir
+        cd $dir; $PYTHON2 create_test_cases.py --outdir $completedir; cd ..
     fi
     echo "$dir"
 done
+cd "$ORIGDIR"
 
 if [ ! -f "$compare_ir" ]; then
     echo "Could not find compare_ir. Make sure that srcdir variable is correctly set."