diff --git a/gio/tests/Makefile.am b/gio/tests/Makefile.am
index a553958e4..71721e5f6 100644
--- a/gio/tests/Makefile.am
+++ b/gio/tests/Makefile.am
@@ -15,6 +15,7 @@ LDADD = \
 AM_CPPFLAGS = $(gio_INCLUDES) $(GLIB_DEBUG_FLAGS) -I$(top_builddir)/gio -I$(top_srcdir)/gio
 DEFS = -DG_LOG_DOMAIN=\"GLib-GIO\" -DTEST_SERVICES=\""$(abs_top_builddir)/gio/tests/services"\"
 AM_CFLAGS = $(GLIB_WARN_CFLAGS)
+AM_TESTS_ENVIRONMENT += GIO_MODULE_DIR=
 
 # -----------------------------------------------------------------------------
 #  Test programs buildable on all platforms
diff --git a/gio/tests/meson.build b/gio/tests/meson.build
index fb17cc407..21b0c2a6c 100644
--- a/gio/tests/meson.build
+++ b/gio/tests/meson.build
@@ -67,6 +67,7 @@ test_extra_programs = [
 test_env = [
   'G_TEST_SRCDIR=' + meson.current_source_dir(),
   'G_TEST_BUILDDIR=' + meson.current_build_dir(),
+  'GIO_MODULE_DIR=',
 ]
 
 test_c_args = [