diff --git a/plugins/dell/Makefile.am b/plugins/dell/Makefile.am
index aef71ba61..02d4a2bbc 100644
--- a/plugins/dell/Makefile.am
+++ b/plugins/dell/Makefile.am
@@ -61,6 +61,7 @@ fu_self_test_LDFLAGS =					\
 fu_self_test_CFLAGS =					\
 	-DFU_OFFLINE_DESTDIR=\"/tmp/fwupd-self-test\"	\
 	-DLOCALSTATEDIR=\"/tmp/fwupd-self-test/var\"	\
+	-DPLUGINBUILDDIR=\".libs\"			\
 	$(WARN_CFLAGS)
 
 noinst_PROGRAMS =                                       \
diff --git a/plugins/dell/fu-self-test.c b/plugins/dell/fu-self-test.c
index 35b2b015d..01b557f78 100644
--- a/plugins/dell/fu-self-test.c
+++ b/plugins/dell/fu-self-test.c
@@ -57,7 +57,7 @@ fu_plugin_dell_tpm_func (void)
 
 	g_setenv ("FWUPD_DELL_FAKE_SMBIOS", "1", FALSE);
 	plugin = fu_plugin_new ();
-	ret = fu_plugin_open (plugin, ".libs/libfu_plugin_dell.so", &error);
+	ret = fu_plugin_open (plugin, PLUGINBUILDDIR "/libfu_plugin_dell.so", &error);
 	g_assert_no_error (error);
 	g_assert (ret);
 	ret = fu_plugin_runner_startup (plugin, &error);
@@ -243,7 +243,7 @@ fu_plugin_dell_dock_func (void)
 
 	g_setenv ("FWUPD_DELL_FAKE_SMBIOS", "1", FALSE);
 	plugin = fu_plugin_new ();
-	ret = fu_plugin_open (plugin, ".libs/libfu_plugin_dell.so", &error);
+	ret = fu_plugin_open (plugin, PLUGINBUILDDIR "/libfu_plugin_dell.so", &error);
 	g_assert_no_error (error);
 	g_assert (ret);
 	ret = fu_plugin_runner_startup (plugin, &error);
diff --git a/plugins/raspberrypi/Makefile.am b/plugins/raspberrypi/Makefile.am
index 1c345eebb..6e41d3756 100644
--- a/plugins/raspberrypi/Makefile.am
+++ b/plugins/raspberrypi/Makefile.am
@@ -63,6 +63,7 @@ fu_self_test_LDFLAGS =					\
 fu_self_test_CFLAGS =					\
 	-DFU_OFFLINE_DESTDIR=\"/tmp/fwupd-self-test\"	\
 	-DLOCALSTATEDIR=\"/tmp/fwupd-self-test/var\"	\
+	-DPLUGINBUILDDIR=\".libs\"			\
 	$(WARN_CFLAGS)
 
 TESTS = fu-self-test
diff --git a/plugins/raspberrypi/fu-self-test.c b/plugins/raspberrypi/fu-self-test.c
index e14b10db6..2b98416d7 100644
--- a/plugins/raspberrypi/fu-self-test.c
+++ b/plugins/raspberrypi/fu-self-test.c
@@ -78,7 +78,7 @@ fu_plugin_raspberrypi_func (void)
 
 	/* create a fake device */
 	plugin = fu_plugin_new ();
-	ret = fu_plugin_open (plugin, ".libs/libfu_plugin_raspberrypi.so", &error);
+	ret = fu_plugin_open (plugin, PLUGINBUILDDIR "/libfu_plugin_raspberrypi.so", &error);
 	g_assert_no_error (error);
 	g_assert (ret);
 
diff --git a/plugins/synapticsmst/Makefile.am b/plugins/synapticsmst/Makefile.am
index 95c31fd2e..12e0a3b07 100644
--- a/plugins/synapticsmst/Makefile.am
+++ b/plugins/synapticsmst/Makefile.am
@@ -86,6 +86,7 @@ fu_self_test_LDFLAGS =						\
 fu_self_test_CFLAGS =						\
 	-DFU_OFFLINE_DESTDIR=\"/tmp/fwupd-self-test\"		\
 	-DLOCALSTATEDIR=\"/tmp/fwupd-self-test/var\"		\
+	-DPLUGINBUILDDIR=\".libs\"				\
 	$(WARN_CFLAGS)
 
 TESTS = fu-self-test
diff --git a/plugins/synapticsmst/fu-self-test.c b/plugins/synapticsmst/fu-self-test.c
index 756fe240e..dd2024dc9 100644
--- a/plugins/synapticsmst/fu-self-test.c
+++ b/plugins/synapticsmst/fu-self-test.c
@@ -66,7 +66,7 @@ fu_plugin_synapticsmst_func (void)
 	g_signal_connect (plugin, "status-changed",
 			  G_CALLBACK (_plugin_status_changed_cb),
 			  &cnt);
-	ret = fu_plugin_open (plugin, ".libs/libfu_plugin_synapticsmst.so", &error);
+	ret = fu_plugin_open (plugin, PLUGINBUILDDIR "/libfu_plugin_synapticsmst.so", &error);
 	g_assert_no_error (error);
 	g_assert (ret);
 	ret = fu_plugin_runner_startup (plugin, &error);
diff --git a/src/Makefile.am b/src/Makefile.am
index e28420878..1114017dd 100644
--- a/src/Makefile.am
+++ b/src/Makefile.am
@@ -157,6 +157,7 @@ fu_self_test_LDFLAGS =					\
 fu_self_test_CFLAGS =					\
 	-DFU_OFFLINE_DESTDIR=\"/tmp/fwupd-self-test\"	\
 	-DLOCALSTATEDIR=\"/tmp/fwupd-self-test/var\"	\
+	-DPLUGINBUILDDIR=\"../plugins/test/.libs\"	\
 	$(WARN_CFLAGS)
 
 TESTS = fu-self-test
diff --git a/src/fu-self-test.c b/src/fu-self-test.c
index c215f531b..197c1af99 100644
--- a/src/fu-self-test.c
+++ b/src/fu-self-test.c
@@ -167,7 +167,7 @@ fu_plugin_module_func (void)
 
 	/* create a fake device */
 	plugin = fu_plugin_new ();
-	ret = fu_plugin_open (plugin, "../plugins/test/.libs/libfu_plugin_test.so", &error);
+	ret = fu_plugin_open (plugin, PLUGINBUILDDIR "/libfu_plugin_test.so", &error);
 	g_assert_no_error (error);
 	g_assert (ret);
 	ret = fu_plugin_runner_startup (plugin, &error);