diff --git a/test/api/Makefile.am b/test/api/Makefile.am
index 322cd7d2a..27520ffe8 100644
--- a/test/api/Makefile.am
+++ b/test/api/Makefile.am
@@ -83,6 +83,8 @@ TESTS_ENVIRONMENT = \
 	G_DEBUG=gc-friendly \
 	G_SLICE=always-malloc \
 	srcdir=$(srcdir) \
+	G_TEST_SRCDIR=$(abs_srcdir) \
+	G_TEST_BUILDDIR=$(abs_builddir) \
 	$(NULL)
 
 
diff --git a/test/api/test-ot-layout-math.c b/test/api/test-ot-layout-math.c
index d7121a2a2..93dab740a 100644
--- a/test/api/test-ot-layout-math.c
+++ b/test/api/test-ot-layout-math.c
@@ -54,12 +54,16 @@ cleanupFreeType (void)
 static void
 openFont(const char* fontFile)
 {
+  gchar* path = g_test_build_filename(G_TEST_DIST, fontFile, NULL);
+
   FT_Error ft_error;
-  if ((ft_error = FT_New_Face (ft_library, fontFile, 0, &ft_face)))
+  if ((ft_error = FT_New_Face (ft_library, path, 0, &ft_face))) {
+    g_free(path);
     abort();
+  }
+  g_free(path);
 
 #define fontSize 1000
-
   if ((ft_error = FT_Set_Char_Size (ft_face, fontSize, fontSize, 0, 0)))
     abort();
   hb_font = hb_ft_font_create (ft_face, NULL);