diff --git a/autotests/test_scripted_effectloader.cpp b/autotests/test_scripted_effectloader.cpp
--- a/autotests/test_scripted_effectloader.cpp
+++ b/autotests/test_scripted_effectloader.cpp
@@ -91,6 +91,7 @@
 
 void TestScriptedEffectLoader::initTestCase()
 {
+    qputenv("XDG_DATA_DIRS", QCoreApplication::applicationDirPath().toUtf8());
     auto config = KSharedConfig::openConfig(QString(), KConfig::SimpleConfig);
     QCoreApplication::instance()->setProperty("config", QVariant::fromValue(config));
 }
diff --git a/effects/dialogparent/package/CMakeLists.txt b/effects/dialogparent/package/CMakeLists.txt
--- a/effects/dialogparent/package/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/effects/dialogparent/package/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -4,3 +4,5 @@
 install(FILES metadata.desktop
         DESTINATION ${SERVICES_INSTALL_DIR}/${KWIN_NAME}
         RENAME kwin4_effect_dialogparent.desktop)
+
+file(COPY contents metadata.desktop DESTINATION ${CMAKE_BINARY_DIR}/bin/kwin/effects/kwin4_effect_dialogparent)
diff --git a/effects/eyeonscreen/package/CMakeLists.txt b/effects/eyeonscreen/package/CMakeLists.txt
--- a/effects/eyeonscreen/package/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/effects/eyeonscreen/package/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -4,3 +4,5 @@
 install(FILES metadata.desktop
         DESTINATION ${SERVICES_INSTALL_DIR}/${KWIN_NAME}
         RENAME kwin4_effect_eyeonscreen.desktop)
+
+file(COPY contents metadata.desktop DESTINATION ${CMAKE_BINARY_DIR}/bin/kwin/effects/kwin4_effect_eyeonscreen)
diff --git a/effects/fade/CMakeLists.txt b/effects/fade/CMakeLists.txt
--- a/effects/fade/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/effects/fade/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -4,3 +4,5 @@
 install(FILES package/metadata.desktop
         DESTINATION ${SERVICES_INSTALL_DIR}/${KWIN_NAME}
         RENAME kwin4_effect_fade.desktop)
+
+file(COPY package/ DESTINATION ${CMAKE_BINARY_DIR}/bin/kwin/effects/kwin4_effect_fade)
diff --git a/effects/fadedesktop/CMakeLists.txt b/effects/fadedesktop/CMakeLists.txt
--- a/effects/fadedesktop/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/effects/fadedesktop/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -4,3 +4,5 @@
 install(FILES package/metadata.desktop
         DESTINATION ${SERVICES_INSTALL_DIR}/${KWIN_NAME}
         RENAME kwin4_effect_fadedesktop.desktop)
+
+file(COPY package/ DESTINATION ${CMAKE_BINARY_DIR}/bin/kwin/effects/kwin4_effect_fadedesktop)
diff --git a/effects/frozenapp/package/CMakeLists.txt b/effects/frozenapp/package/CMakeLists.txt
--- a/effects/frozenapp/package/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/effects/frozenapp/package/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -4,3 +4,5 @@
 install(FILES metadata.desktop
         DESTINATION ${SERVICES_INSTALL_DIR}/${KWIN_NAME}
         RENAME kwin4_effect_frozenapp.desktop)
+
+file(COPY contents metadata.desktop DESTINATION ${CMAKE_BINARY_DIR}/bin/kwin/effects/kwin4_effect_frozenapp)
diff --git a/effects/login/package/CMakeLists.txt b/effects/login/package/CMakeLists.txt
--- a/effects/login/package/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/effects/login/package/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -4,3 +4,5 @@
 install(FILES metadata.desktop
         DESTINATION ${SERVICES_INSTALL_DIR}/${KWIN_NAME}
         RENAME kwin4_effect_login.desktop)
+
+file(COPY contents metadata.desktop DESTINATION ${CMAKE_BINARY_DIR}/bin/kwin/effects/kwin4_effect_login)
diff --git a/effects/logout/package/CMakeLists.txt b/effects/logout/package/CMakeLists.txt
--- a/effects/logout/package/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/effects/logout/package/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -4,3 +4,5 @@
 install(FILES metadata.desktop
         DESTINATION ${SERVICES_INSTALL_DIR}/${KWIN_NAME}
         RENAME kwin4_effect_logout.desktop)
+
+file(COPY contents metadata.desktop DESTINATION ${CMAKE_BINARY_DIR}/bin/kwin/effects/kwin4_effect_logout)
diff --git a/effects/maximize/package/CMakeLists.txt b/effects/maximize/package/CMakeLists.txt
--- a/effects/maximize/package/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/effects/maximize/package/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -4,3 +4,5 @@
 install(FILES metadata.desktop
         DESTINATION ${SERVICES_INSTALL_DIR}/${KWIN_NAME}
         RENAME kwin4_effect_maximize.desktop)
+
+file(COPY contents metadata.desktop DESTINATION ${CMAKE_BINARY_DIR}/bin/kwin/effects/kwin4_effect_maximize)
diff --git a/effects/scale/package/CMakeLists.txt b/effects/scale/package/CMakeLists.txt
--- a/effects/scale/package/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/effects/scale/package/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -7,3 +7,5 @@
 install(FILES metadata.desktop
         DESTINATION ${SERVICES_INSTALL_DIR}/${KWIN_NAME}
         RENAME kwin4_effect_scale.desktop)
+
+file(COPY contents metadata.desktop DESTINATION ${CMAKE_BINARY_DIR}/bin/kwin/effects/kwin4_effect_scale)
diff --git a/effects/squash/package/CMakeLists.txt b/effects/squash/package/CMakeLists.txt
--- a/effects/squash/package/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/effects/squash/package/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -7,3 +7,5 @@
 install(FILES metadata.desktop
         DESTINATION ${SERVICES_INSTALL_DIR}/${KWIN_NAME}
         RENAME kwin4_effect_squash.desktop)
+
+file(COPY contents metadata.desktop DESTINATION ${CMAKE_BINARY_DIR}/bin/kwin/effects/kwin4_effect_squash)
diff --git a/effects/translucency/package/CMakeLists.txt b/effects/translucency/package/CMakeLists.txt
--- a/effects/translucency/package/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/effects/translucency/package/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -4,3 +4,5 @@
 install(FILES metadata.desktop
         DESTINATION ${SERVICES_INSTALL_DIR}/${KWIN_NAME}
         RENAME kwin4_effect_translucency.desktop)
+
+file(COPY contents metadata.desktop DESTINATION ${CMAKE_BINARY_DIR}/bin/kwin/effects/kwin4_effect_translucency)