diff --git a/lib/path/tests/default.nix b/lib/path/tests/default.nix
index 6b8e515f433..50d40cdfa47 100644
--- a/lib/path/tests/default.nix
+++ b/lib/path/tests/default.nix
@@ -18,7 +18,14 @@ pkgs.runCommand "lib-path-tests" {
   ];
 } ''
   # Needed to make Nix evaluation work
-  export NIX_STATE_DIR=$(mktemp -d)
+  export TEST_ROOT=$(pwd)/test-tmp
+  export NIX_BUILD_HOOK=
+  export NIX_CONF_DIR=$TEST_ROOT/etc
+  export NIX_LOCALSTATE_DIR=$TEST_ROOT/var
+  export NIX_LOG_DIR=$TEST_ROOT/var/log/nix
+  export NIX_STATE_DIR=$TEST_ROOT/var/nix
+  export NIX_STORE_DIR=$TEST_ROOT/store
+  export PAGER=cat
 
   cp -r ${libpath} lib
   export TEST_LIB=$PWD/lib