diff --git a/tools/targets/test.xtarget b/tools/targets/test.xtarget
index 6ff67dd0f5..1cf2e82199 100644
--- a/tools/targets/test.xtarget
+++ b/tools/targets/test.xtarget
@@ -20,6 +20,10 @@
       </classpath>
     </javac>
     <junit printsummary="yes" haltonfailure="yes" fork="yes">
+      <sysproperty key="UTIL.testdata.path"
+                   value="${test.dir}/org/apache/poi/util/data"/>
+      <sysproperty key="HSSF.testdata.path"
+                   value="${test.dir}/org/apache/poi/hssf/data"/>
       <classpath>
         <pathelement location="${build.test}" />
         <pathelement location="${build.dest}" />