diff --git a/tests/meson.build b/tests/meson.build
index 49135b435..a9cde8960 100644
--- a/tests/meson.build
+++ b/tests/meson.build
@@ -64,7 +64,6 @@ exe_plugin_test = shared_library(
 	name_prefix: '',
 	install: false,
 )
-config_h.set_quoted('TESTSUITE_PLUGIN_PATH', exe_plugin_test.full_path())
 
 deps_zuc = [ dep_libshared ]
 if get_option('test-junit-xml')
@@ -250,6 +249,13 @@ env_test_weston = [
 	'WESTON_DATA_DIR=' + join_paths(meson.current_source_dir(), '..', 'data'),
 ]
 
+test_config_h = configuration_data()
+test_config_h.set_quoted('WESTON_TEST_REFERENCE_PATH', meson.current_source_dir() + '/reference')
+test_config_h.set_quoted('WESTON_MODULE_MAP', env_modmap)
+test_config_h.set_quoted('WESTON_DATA_DIR', join_paths(meson.current_source_dir(), '..', 'data'))
+test_config_h.set_quoted('TESTSUITE_PLUGIN_PATH', exe_plugin_test.full_path())
+configure_file(output: 'test-config.h', configuration: test_config_h)
+
 foreach t : tests
 	t_name = 'test-' + t.get('name')
 	t_sources = t.get('sources', [t.get('name') + '-test.c'])
@@ -271,7 +277,7 @@ foreach t : tests
 		install: false,
 	)
 
-	test(t.get('name'), t_exe, depends: t.get('test_deps', []), env: env_test_weston)
+	test(t.get('name'), t_exe, depends: t.get('test_deps', []))
 endforeach
 
 # FIXME: the multiple loops is lame. rethink this.
diff --git a/tests/weston-test-client-helper.c b/tests/weston-test-client-helper.c
index 503ed0983..3fb6b72f8 100644
--- a/tests/weston-test-client-helper.c
+++ b/tests/weston-test-client-helper.c
@@ -34,6 +34,7 @@
 #include <sys/mman.h>
 #include <cairo.h>
 
+#include "test-config.h"
 #include "shared/os-compatibility.h"
 #include "shared/xalloc.h"
 #include <libweston/zalloc.h>
@@ -1025,7 +1026,7 @@ reference_path(void)
 	char *path = getenv("WESTON_TEST_REFERENCE_PATH");
 
 	if (!path)
-		return "./tests/reference";
+		return WESTON_TEST_REFERENCE_PATH;
 	return path;
 }
 
diff --git a/tests/weston-test-fixture-compositor.c b/tests/weston-test-fixture-compositor.c
index 04c06409b..ea206be01 100644
--- a/tests/weston-test-fixture-compositor.c
+++ b/tests/weston-test-fixture-compositor.c
@@ -31,6 +31,7 @@
 #include "shared/helpers.h"
 #include "weston-test-fixture-compositor.h"
 #include "weston.h"
+#include "test-config.h"
 
 struct prog_args {
 	int argc;
@@ -180,6 +181,12 @@ execute_compositor(const struct compositor_setup *setup,
 	const char *ctmp;
 	int ret;
 
+	if (setenv("WESTON_MODULE_MAP", WESTON_MODULE_MAP, 0) < 0 ||
+	    setenv("WESTON_DATA_DIR", WESTON_DATA_DIR, 0) < 0) {
+		fprintf(stderr, "Error: environment setup failed.\n");
+		return RESULT_HARD_ERROR;
+	}
+
 #ifndef BUILD_DRM_COMPOSITOR
 	if (setup->backend == WESTON_BACKEND_DRM) {
 		fprintf(stderr, "DRM-backend required but not built, skipping.\n");