diff --git a/tests/lib/subdir.am b/tests/lib/subdir.am
index e950d0120d..c3a1a3e2c0 100644
--- a/tests/lib/subdir.am
+++ b/tests/lib/subdir.am
@@ -15,8 +15,14 @@ tests_lib_test_frrscript_CFLAGS = $(TESTS_CFLAGS)
 tests_lib_test_frrscript_CPPFLAGS = $(TESTS_CPPFLAGS)
 tests_lib_test_frrscript_LDADD = $(ALL_TESTS_LDADD)
 tests_lib_test_frrscript_SOURCES = tests/lib/test_frrscript.c
+EXTRA_tests_lib_test_frrscript_DEPENDENCIES = copy_script
 EXTRA_DIST += tests/lib/test_frrscript.py tests/lib/script1.lua
 
+# For out-of-tree build, lua script needs to be in the build dir, rather than
+# just available somewhere in the VPATH
+copy_script: tests/lib/script1.lua
+	test -e tests/lib/script1.lua || \
+	$(INSTALL_SCRIPT) $< tests/lib/script1.lua
 
 ##############################################################################
 GRPC_TESTS_LDADD = staticd/libstatic.a grpc/libfrrgrpc_pb.la -lgrpc++ -lprotobuf $(ALL_TESTS_LDADD) $(LIBYANG_LIBS) -lm