diff --git a/python/testing/CMakeLists.txt b/python/testing/CMakeLists.txt
index 14424422fdc..28673b426ed 100644
--- a/python/testing/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/python/testing/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -10,6 +10,8 @@ set(PY_FILES
 file (MAKE_DIRECTORY ${QGIS_PYTHON_OUTPUT_DIRECTORY}/testing)
 install(FILES ${PY_FILES} DESTINATION "${QGIS_PYTHON_DIR}/testing")
 
+configure_file("${CMAKE_CURRENT_SOURCE_DIR}/test_data_dir.py.in" "${QGIS_PYTHON_DIR}/testing/test_data_dir.py")
+
 add_custom_target(pytesting ALL)
 # stage to output to make available when QGIS is run from build directory
 foreach(pyfile ${PY_FILES})
@@ -21,3 +23,11 @@ foreach(pyfile ${PY_FILES})
   )
   PY_COMPILE(pyutils "${QGIS_PYTHON_OUTPUT_DIRECTORY}/testing/${pyfile}")
 endforeach(pyfile)
+
+add_custom_command(TARGET pytesting
+  POST_BUILD
+  COMMAND ${CMAKE_COMMAND} -E copy "testing/test_data_dir.py" "${QGIS_PYTHON_OUTPUT_DIRECTORY}/testing/test_data_dir.py"
+  WORKING_DIRECTORY ${QGIS_PYTHON_DIR}
+  DEPENDS ${pyfile}
+)
+PY_COMPILE(pyutils "${QGIS_PYTHON_OUTPUT_DIRECTORY}/testing/test_data_dir.py")
diff --git a/python/testing/test_data_dir.py.in b/python/testing/test_data_dir.py.in
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..dae0775c32d
--- /dev/null
+++ b/python/testing/test_data_dir.py.in
@@ -0,0 +1,2 @@
+TEST_DATA_DIR = "${TEST_DATA_DIR}"
+