diff --git a/test/emacs b/test/emacs
index b74cfa95..13b0471f 100755
--- a/test/emacs
+++ b/test/emacs
@@ -266,7 +266,7 @@ From: Notmuch Test Suite <test_suite@notmuchmail.org>
 To: user@example.com
 Subject: Re: Testing message sent via SMTP
 In-Reply-To: <XXX>
-Fcc: $(pwd)/mail/sent
+Fcc: ${MAIL_DIR}/sent
 --text follows this line--
 On 01 Jan 2000 12:00:00 -0000, Notmuch Test Suite <test_suite@notmuchmail.org> wrote:
 > This is a test that messages are sent via SMTP
diff --git a/test/new b/test/new
index 79a6c97a..99f9913e 100755
--- a/test/new
+++ b/test/new
@@ -117,10 +117,10 @@ test_expect_equal "$output" "No new mail. Removed 3 messages."
 test_begin_subtest "New symlink to directory"
 
 rm -rf "${MAIL_DIR}"/.notmuch
-mv "${MAIL_DIR}" "$PWD"/actual_maildir
+mv "${MAIL_DIR}" "${TMP_DIRECTORY}"/actual_maildir
 
 mkdir "${MAIL_DIR}"
-ln -s "$PWD"/actual_maildir "${MAIL_DIR}"/symlink
+ln -s "${TMP_DIRECTORY}"/actual_maildir "${MAIL_DIR}"/symlink
 
 output=$(NOTMUCH_NEW)
 test_expect_equal "$output" "Added 1 new message to the database."
@@ -128,7 +128,7 @@ test_expect_equal "$output" "Added 1 new message to the database."
 
 test_begin_subtest "New symlink to a file"
 generate_message
-external_msg_filename="$PWD"/external/"$(basename "$gen_msg_filename")"
+external_msg_filename="${TMP_DIRECTORY}"/external/"$(basename "$gen_msg_filename")"
 mkdir -p "$(dirname "$external_msg_filename")"
 mv "$gen_msg_filename" "$external_msg_filename"
 ln -s "$external_msg_filename" "$gen_msg_filename"