diff --git a/mysql-test/mysql-test-run.pl b/mysql-test/mysql-test-run.pl
index 0bf0245325a..f10f5e4fcba 100755
--- a/mysql-test/mysql-test-run.pl
+++ b/mysql-test/mysql-test-run.pl
@@ -1697,7 +1697,7 @@ sub collect_mysqld_features {
   my $args;
   mtr_init_args(\$args);
   mtr_add_arg($args, "--no-defaults");
-  mtr_add_arg($args, "--datadir=%s/tmp", $opt_vardir);
+  mtr_add_arg($args, "--datadir=.");
   mtr_add_arg($args, "--basedir=%s", $basedir);
   mtr_add_arg($args, "--language=%s", $path_language);
   mtr_add_arg($args, "--skip-grant-tables");