diff --git a/autotests/CMakeLists.txt b/autotests/CMakeLists.txt
--- a/autotests/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/autotests/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -36,7 +36,11 @@
                                                       -Doutput=${CMAKE_CURRENT_SOURCE_DIR}/data/${testname}/${testname}.testappdataxml
                                                       -P ${CMAKE_CURRENT_SOURCE_DIR}/kpackagetoolappstreamtest.cmake
     )
-    set_property(TEST ${testname}-appstream PROPERTY ENVIRONMENT "XDG_DATA_DIRS=${CMAKE_SOURCE_DIR}/src/kpackage/data:$XDG_DATA_DIRS")
+    set(XDG_DATA_DIRS "$ENV{XDG_DATA_DIRS}")
+    if(NOT XDG_DATA_DIRS)
+        set(XDG_DATA_DIRS "/usr/local/share:/usr/share")
+    endif()
+    set_property(TEST ${testname}-appstream PROPERTY ENVIRONMENT "XDG_DATA_DIRS=${CMAKE_SOURCE_DIR}/src/kpackage/data:${XDG_DATA_DIRS}")
 endfunction()
 
 foreach(var "testfallbackpackage" "testpackage" "testpackage-nodisplay" "testjsonmetadatapackage" "testpackagesdep" "testpackagesdepinvalid") # "customcontent" "simplecontent"