diff --git a/src/tests/test_db_env_open_nocreate.c b/src/tests/test_db_env_open_nocreate.c
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..08f05ee9a19
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/tests/test_db_env_open_nocreate.c
@@ -0,0 +1,36 @@
+// Try to open an environment where the directory does not exist 
+// Try when the dir exists but is not an initialized env
+
+#include <assert.h>
+#include <db.h>
+#include <errno.h>
+#include <stdio.h>
+#include <stdlib.h>
+#include <sys/stat.h>
+#include <sys/types.h>
+
+// DIR is defined in the Makefile
+#define CKERR(r) if (r!=0) fprintf(stderr, "%s:%d error %d %s\n", __FILE__, __LINE__, r, db_strerror(r)); assert(r==0);
+
+int main() {
+    DB_ENV *dbenv;
+    int r;
+
+    system("rm -rf " DIR);
+
+    r = db_env_create(&dbenv, 0);
+    assert(r == 0);
+    r = dbenv->open(dbenv, DIR, DB_PRIVATE|DB_INIT_MPOOL, 0);
+    assert(r==ENOENT);
+    dbenv->close(dbenv,0); // free memory
+
+    system("rm -rf " DIR);
+    mkdir(DIR, 0777);
+    r = db_env_create(&dbenv, 0);
+    assert(r == 0);
+    r = dbenv->open(dbenv, DIR, DB_PRIVATE|DB_INIT_MPOOL, 0);
+    assert(r==ENOENT);
+    dbenv->close(dbenv,0); // free memory
+
+    return 0;
+}
diff --git a/src/tests/test_db_env_set_data_dir.c b/src/tests/test_db_env_set_data_dir.c
index c80dbe3eb7b..c69b8182757 100644
--- a/src/tests/test_db_env_set_data_dir.c
+++ b/src/tests/test_db_env_set_data_dir.c
@@ -2,6 +2,8 @@
 #include <assert.h>
 #include <db.h>
 
+// DIR is defined in the Makefile
+
 int main() {
     DB_ENV *dbenv;
     int r;
@@ -9,16 +11,16 @@ int main() {
     r = db_env_create(&dbenv, 0);
     assert(r == 0);
 
-    r = dbenv->set_data_dir(dbenv, ".");
+    r = dbenv->set_data_dir(dbenv, DIR);
     assert(r == 0);
 
-    r = dbenv->set_data_dir(dbenv, ".");
+    r = dbenv->set_data_dir(dbenv, DIR);
     assert(r == 0);
 
-    r = dbenv->open(dbenv, ".", DB_PRIVATE+DB_INIT_MPOOL, 0);
+    r = dbenv->open(dbenv, DIR, DB_PRIVATE+DB_INIT_MPOOL, 0);
     assert(r == 0);
 
-    r = dbenv->set_data_dir(dbenv, ".");
+    r = dbenv->set_data_dir(dbenv, DIR);
     assert(r != 0);
     
     r = dbenv->close(dbenv, 0);
diff --git a/src/tests/test_db_env_set_errpfx.c b/src/tests/test_db_env_set_errpfx.c
index d928f940ee3..ff2369b180a 100644
--- a/src/tests/test_db_env_set_errpfx.c
+++ b/src/tests/test_db_env_set_errpfx.c
@@ -2,6 +2,8 @@
 #include <assert.h>
 #include <db.h>
 
+// DIR is defined in the Makefile
+
 int main() {
     DB_ENV *dbenv;
     int r;
@@ -11,7 +13,7 @@ int main() {
 
     dbenv->set_errpfx(dbenv, "houdy partners: ");
 
-    r = dbenv->open(dbenv, ".", DB_PRIVATE+DB_INIT_MPOOL, 0);
+    r = dbenv->open(dbenv, DIR, DB_CREATE|DB_PRIVATE|DB_INIT_MPOOL, 0);
     assert(r == 0);
 
     r = dbenv->close(dbenv, 0);