diff --git a/gio/tests/Makefile.am b/gio/tests/Makefile.am
index 15ab66e93..26c2d95b6 100644
--- a/gio/tests/Makefile.am
+++ b/gio/tests/Makefile.am
@@ -339,10 +339,6 @@ dist_test_data += \
 
 dist_test_data += \
 	appinfo-test-actions.desktop		\
-	appinfo-test-gnome.desktop		\
-	appinfo-test-notgnome.desktop		\
-	appinfo-test.desktop			\
-	appinfo-test2.desktop			\
 	file.c					\
 	org.gtk.test.dbusappinfo.desktop	\
 	x-content/image-dcf/DCIM/Camera/20130831_203925.jpg \
@@ -367,6 +363,35 @@ clean-mimeapps:
 	rm -rf xdgdatadir xdgdatahome xdgconfighome
 endif
 
+appinfo-test-gnome.desktop: appinfo-test-gnome.desktop.in Makefile
+	$(AM_V_GEN)$(SED) \
+		-e 's|[@]installed_tests_dir[@]|$(installed_testdir)|g' \
+		$< > $@
+appinfo-test-notgnome.desktop: appinfo-test-notgnome.desktop.in Makefile
+	$(AM_V_GEN)$(SED) \
+		-e 's|[@]installed_tests_dir[@]|$(installed_testdir)|g' \
+		$< > $@
+appinfo-test.desktop: appinfo-test.desktop.in Makefile
+	$(AM_V_GEN)$(SED) \
+		-e 's|[@]installed_tests_dir[@]|$(installed_testdir)|g' \
+		$< > $@
+appinfo-test2.desktop: appinfo-test2.desktop.in Makefile
+	$(AM_V_GEN)$(SED) \
+		-e 's|[@]installed_tests_dir[@]|$(installed_testdir)|g' \
+		$< > $@
+
+appinfo_desktop_templates = \
+	appinfo-test-gnome.desktop.in \
+	appinfo-test-notgnome.desktop.in \
+	appinfo-test.desktop.in \
+	appinfo-test2.desktop.in \
+	$(NULL)
+appinfo_desktop_files = $(appinfo_desktop_templates:.in=)
+
+EXTRA_DIST += $(appinfo_desktop_templates)
+CLEANFILES += $(appinfo_desktop_files)
+test_data += $(appinfo_desktop_files)
+
 uninstalled_test_programs += gsettings gschema-compile
 gsettings_DEPENDENCIES = test.mo
 CLEANFILES += test.mo de/LC_MESSAGES/test.mo keyfile/gsettings.store
diff --git a/gio/tests/appinfo-test-gnome.desktop b/gio/tests/appinfo-test-gnome.desktop.in
similarity index 64%
rename from gio/tests/appinfo-test-gnome.desktop
rename to gio/tests/appinfo-test-gnome.desktop.in
index 9e3b42848..e32d545f6 100644
--- a/gio/tests/appinfo-test-gnome.desktop
+++ b/gio/tests/appinfo-test-gnome.desktop.in
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 [Desktop Entry]
 Type=Application
 Name=appinfo-test
-Exec=./appinfo-test --option
+Exec=@installed_tests_dir@/appinfo-test --option
 OnlyShowIn=GNOME;KDE;
 NotShowIn=ROX;
diff --git a/gio/tests/appinfo-test-notgnome.desktop b/gio/tests/appinfo-test-notgnome.desktop.in
similarity index 63%
rename from gio/tests/appinfo-test-notgnome.desktop
rename to gio/tests/appinfo-test-notgnome.desktop.in
index 2f7c11d9c..585818216 100644
--- a/gio/tests/appinfo-test-notgnome.desktop
+++ b/gio/tests/appinfo-test-notgnome.desktop.in
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 [Desktop Entry]
 Type=Application
 Name=appinfo-test
-Exec=./appinfo-test --option
+Exec=@installed_tests_dir@/appinfo-test --option
 OnlyShowIn=KDE;
 NotShowIn=GNOME;
diff --git a/gio/tests/appinfo-test.c b/gio/tests/appinfo-test.c
index 86d0e492c..3a91a2f9b 100644
--- a/gio/tests/appinfo-test.c
+++ b/gio/tests/appinfo-test.c
@@ -14,7 +14,7 @@ main (int argc, char *argv[])
       gchar *expected;
       gint pid_from_env;
 
-      expected = g_test_build_filename (G_TEST_DIST, "appinfo-test.desktop", NULL);
+      expected = g_test_build_filename (G_TEST_BUILT, "appinfo-test.desktop", NULL);
       g_assert_cmpstr (envvar, ==, expected);
       g_free (expected);
 
diff --git a/gio/tests/appinfo-test.desktop b/gio/tests/appinfo-test.desktop.in
similarity index 83%
rename from gio/tests/appinfo-test.desktop
rename to gio/tests/appinfo-test.desktop.in
index 90e412043..bc292b135 100644
--- a/gio/tests/appinfo-test.desktop
+++ b/gio/tests/appinfo-test.desktop.in
@@ -7,7 +7,7 @@ X-GNOME-FullName=example
 X-GNOME-FullName[de]=Beispiel
 Comment=GAppInfo example
 Comment[de]=GAppInfo Beispiel
-Exec=./appinfo-test --option %U %i --name %c --filename %k %m %%
+Exec=@installed_tests_dir@/appinfo-test --option %U %i --name %c --filename %k %m %%
 Icon=testicon.svg
 Terminal=true
 StartupNotify=true
diff --git a/gio/tests/appinfo-test2.desktop b/gio/tests/appinfo-test2.desktop.in
similarity index 81%
rename from gio/tests/appinfo-test2.desktop
rename to gio/tests/appinfo-test2.desktop.in
index 1f5539375..70780f812 100644
--- a/gio/tests/appinfo-test2.desktop
+++ b/gio/tests/appinfo-test2.desktop.in
@@ -6,6 +6,6 @@ X-GNOME-FullName=example
 X-GNOME-FullName[de]=Beispiel
 Comment=GAppInfo example
 Comment[de]=GAppInfo Beispiel
-Exec=./appinfo-test --option
+Exec=@installed_tests_dir@/appinfo-test --option
 TryExec=does-not-exist
 Icon=testicon
diff --git a/gio/tests/appinfo.c b/gio/tests/appinfo.c
index 58bba4e1d..12e5a0a7e 100644
--- a/gio/tests/appinfo.c
+++ b/gio/tests/appinfo.c
@@ -133,7 +133,7 @@ test_launch_for_app_info (GAppInfo *appinfo)
   g_assert (g_app_info_launch_uris (appinfo, NULL, NULL, &error));
   g_assert_no_error (error);
 
-  path = g_test_get_filename (G_TEST_DIST, "appinfo-test.desktop", NULL);
+  path = g_test_get_filename (G_TEST_BUILT, "appinfo-test.desktop", NULL);
   file = g_file_new_for_path (path);
   l = NULL;
   l = g_list_append (l, file);
@@ -144,7 +144,7 @@ test_launch_for_app_info (GAppInfo *appinfo)
   g_object_unref (file);
 
   l = NULL;
-  uri = g_strconcat ("file://", g_test_get_dir (G_TEST_DIST), "/appinfo-test.desktop", NULL);
+  uri = g_strconcat ("file://", g_test_get_dir (G_TEST_BUILT), "/appinfo-test.desktop", NULL);
   l = g_list_append (l, uri);
   l = g_list_append (l, "file:///etc/group#adm");
 
@@ -161,7 +161,7 @@ test_launch (Fixture       *fixture,
   GAppInfo *appinfo;
   const gchar *path;
 
-  path = g_test_get_filename (G_TEST_DIST, "appinfo-test.desktop", NULL);
+  path = g_test_get_filename (G_TEST_BUILT, "appinfo-test.desktop", NULL);
   appinfo = (GAppInfo*)g_desktop_app_info_new_from_filename (path);
   g_assert (appinfo != NULL);
 
@@ -191,13 +191,16 @@ test_launch_no_app_id (Fixture       *fixture,
     "Keywords=keyword1;test keyword;\n"
     "Categories=GNOME;GTK;\n";
 
-  const char *exec_line_variants[] = {
-    "Exec=./appinfo-test --option %U %i --name %c --filename %k %m %%",
-    "Exec=./appinfo-test --option %u %i --name %c --filename %k %m %%"
-  };
-
+  gchar *exec_line_variants[2];
   gsize i;
 
+  exec_line_variants[0] = g_strdup_printf (
+      "Exec=%s/appinfo-test --option %%U %%i --name %%c --filename %%k %%m %%%%",
+      g_test_get_dir (G_TEST_BUILT));
+  exec_line_variants[1] = g_strdup_printf (
+      "Exec=%s/appinfo-test --option %%u %%i --name %%c --filename %%k %%m %%%%",
+      g_test_get_dir (G_TEST_BUILT));
+
   g_test_bug ("791337");
 
   for (i = 0; i < G_N_ELEMENTS (exec_line_variants); i++)
@@ -229,6 +232,9 @@ test_launch_no_app_id (Fixture       *fixture,
     g_object_unref (appinfo);
     g_key_file_unref (fake_desktop_file);
   }
+
+  g_free (exec_line_variants[1]);
+  g_free (exec_line_variants[0]);
 }
 
 static void
@@ -242,7 +248,7 @@ test_locale (const char *locale)
   g_setenv ("LANGUAGE", locale, TRUE);
   setlocale (LC_ALL, "");
 
-  path = g_test_get_filename (G_TEST_DIST, "appinfo-test.desktop", NULL);
+  path = g_test_get_filename (G_TEST_BUILT, "appinfo-test.desktop", NULL);
   appinfo = (GAppInfo*)g_desktop_app_info_new_from_filename (path);
 
   if (g_strcmp0 (locale, "C") == 0)
@@ -290,7 +296,7 @@ test_basic (Fixture       *fixture,
   GIcon *icon, *icon2;
   const gchar *path;
 
-  path = g_test_get_filename (G_TEST_DIST, "appinfo-test.desktop", NULL);
+  path = g_test_get_filename (G_TEST_BUILT, "appinfo-test.desktop", NULL);
   appinfo = (GAppInfo*)g_desktop_app_info_new_from_filename (path);
 
   g_assert_cmpstr (g_app_info_get_id (appinfo), ==, "appinfo-test.desktop");
@@ -317,17 +323,17 @@ test_show_in (Fixture       *fixture,
   GAppInfo *appinfo;
   const gchar *path;
 
-  path = g_test_get_filename (G_TEST_DIST, "appinfo-test.desktop", NULL);
+  path = g_test_get_filename (G_TEST_BUILT, "appinfo-test.desktop", NULL);
   appinfo = (GAppInfo*)g_desktop_app_info_new_from_filename (path);
   g_assert (g_app_info_should_show (appinfo));
   g_object_unref (appinfo);
 
-  path = g_test_get_filename (G_TEST_DIST, "appinfo-test-gnome.desktop", NULL);
+  path = g_test_get_filename (G_TEST_BUILT, "appinfo-test-gnome.desktop", NULL);
   appinfo = (GAppInfo*)g_desktop_app_info_new_from_filename (path);
   g_assert (g_app_info_should_show (appinfo));
   g_object_unref (appinfo);
 
-  path = g_test_get_filename (G_TEST_DIST, "appinfo-test-notgnome.desktop", NULL);
+  path = g_test_get_filename (G_TEST_BUILT, "appinfo-test-notgnome.desktop", NULL);
   appinfo = (GAppInfo*)g_desktop_app_info_new_from_filename (path);
   g_assert (!g_app_info_should_show (appinfo));
   g_object_unref (appinfo);
@@ -471,7 +477,7 @@ test_tryexec (Fixture       *fixture,
   GAppInfo *appinfo;
   const gchar *path;
 
-  path = g_test_get_filename (G_TEST_DIST, "appinfo-test2.desktop", NULL);
+  path = g_test_get_filename (G_TEST_BUILT, "appinfo-test2.desktop", NULL);
   appinfo = (GAppInfo*)g_desktop_app_info_new_from_filename (path);
 
   g_assert (appinfo == NULL);
@@ -596,7 +602,7 @@ test_startup_wm_class (Fixture       *fixture,
   const char *wm_class;
   const gchar *path;
 
-  path = g_test_get_filename (G_TEST_DIST, "appinfo-test.desktop", NULL);
+  path = g_test_get_filename (G_TEST_BUILT, "appinfo-test.desktop", NULL);
   appinfo = g_desktop_app_info_new_from_filename (path);
   wm_class = g_desktop_app_info_get_startup_wm_class (appinfo);
 
@@ -613,7 +619,7 @@ test_supported_types (Fixture       *fixture,
   const char * const *content_types;
   const gchar *path;
 
-  path = g_test_get_filename (G_TEST_DIST, "appinfo-test.desktop", NULL);
+  path = g_test_get_filename (G_TEST_BUILT, "appinfo-test.desktop", NULL);
   appinfo = G_APP_INFO (g_desktop_app_info_new_from_filename (path));
   content_types = g_app_info_get_supported_types (appinfo);
 
@@ -638,7 +644,7 @@ test_from_keyfile (Fixture       *fixture,
   const gchar *name;
   const gchar *path;
 
-  path = g_test_get_filename (G_TEST_DIST, "appinfo-test.desktop", NULL);
+  path = g_test_get_filename (G_TEST_BUILT, "appinfo-test.desktop", NULL);
   kf = g_key_file_new ();
   g_key_file_load_from_file (kf, path, G_KEY_FILE_NONE, &error);
   g_assert_no_error (error);
@@ -673,19 +679,11 @@ test_from_keyfile (Fixture       *fixture,
 int
 main (int argc, char *argv[])
 {
-  const gchar *build_dir;
-
   g_setenv ("XDG_CURRENT_DESKTOP", "GNOME", TRUE);
 
   g_test_init (&argc, &argv, NULL);
   g_test_bug_base ("https://bugzilla.gnome.org/show_bug.cgi?id=");
 
-  /* With Meson build we need to change into right directory, so that the
-   * appinfo-test binary can be found. */
-  build_dir = g_getenv ("G_TEST_BUILDDIR");
-  if (build_dir)
-    g_chdir (build_dir);
-
   g_test_add ("/appinfo/basic", Fixture, NULL, setup, test_basic, teardown);
   g_test_add ("/appinfo/text", Fixture, NULL, setup, test_text, teardown);
   g_test_add ("/appinfo/launch", Fixture, NULL, setup, test_launch, teardown);
diff --git a/gio/tests/desktop-app-info.c b/gio/tests/desktop-app-info.c
index 4871d85a5..48317967c 100644
--- a/gio/tests/desktop-app-info.c
+++ b/gio/tests/desktop-app-info.c
@@ -365,7 +365,7 @@ test_extra_getters (void)
   g_setenv ("LANGUAGE", "de_DE.UTF8", TRUE);
   setlocale (LC_ALL, "");
 
-  appinfo = g_desktop_app_info_new_from_filename (g_test_get_filename (G_TEST_DIST, "appinfo-test.desktop", NULL));
+  appinfo = g_desktop_app_info_new_from_filename (g_test_get_filename (G_TEST_BUILT, "appinfo-test.desktop", NULL));
   g_assert (appinfo != NULL);
 
   g_assert (g_desktop_app_info_has_key (appinfo, "Terminal"));
@@ -814,7 +814,7 @@ test_launch_as_manager (void)
       return;
     }
 
-  path = g_test_get_filename (G_TEST_DIST, "appinfo-test.desktop", NULL);
+  path = g_test_get_filename (G_TEST_BUILT, "appinfo-test.desktop", NULL);
   appinfo = g_desktop_app_info_new_from_filename (path);
   g_assert_nonnull (appinfo);
 
@@ -841,15 +841,8 @@ int
 main (int   argc,
       char *argv[])
 {
-  const gchar *build_dir;
   gint result;
 
-  /* With Meson build we need to change into right directory, so that the
-   * appinfo-test binary can be found. */
-  build_dir = g_getenv ("G_TEST_BUILDDIR");
-  if (build_dir)
-    g_chdir (build_dir);
-
   g_test_init (&argc, &argv, NULL);
 
   basedir = g_get_current_dir ();
diff --git a/gio/tests/meson.build b/gio/tests/meson.build
index 63e21bdbc..a07ddf807 100644
--- a/gio/tests/meson.build
+++ b/gio/tests/meson.build
@@ -395,15 +395,35 @@ if host_machine.system() != 'windows'
   }
 endif
 
+appinfo_test_desktop_files = [
+  'appinfo-test-gnome.desktop',
+  'appinfo-test-notgnome.desktop',
+  'appinfo-test.desktop',
+  'appinfo-test2.desktop',
+]
+
+cdata = configuration_data()
+if installed_tests_enabled
+  cdata.set('installed_tests_dir', installed_tests_execdir)
+else
+  cdata.set('installed_tests_dir', meson.current_build_dir())
+endif
+
+foreach appinfo_test_desktop_file : appinfo_test_desktop_files
+  configure_file(
+    input: appinfo_test_desktop_file + '.in',
+    output: appinfo_test_desktop_file,
+    install_dir: installed_tests_execdir,
+    install: installed_tests_enabled,
+    configuration: cdata,
+  )
+endforeach
+
 if installed_tests_enabled
   install_data(
     'contexts.c',
     'g-icon.c',
     'appinfo-test-actions.desktop',
-    'appinfo-test-gnome.desktop',
-    'appinfo-test-notgnome.desktop',
-    'appinfo-test.desktop',
-    'appinfo-test2.desktop',
     'file.c',
     'org.gtk.test.dbusappinfo.desktop',
     install_dir : installed_tests_execdir,