diff --git a/tests/testutil.py b/tests/testutil.py
index d0cfc6698da34f8374d5c57eb41be5db422d3d5e..c6cec5c7eb30e2db244c6f15bcf6df6bb4e5c3b4 100644
--- a/tests/testutil.py
+++ b/tests/testutil.py
@@ -27,6 +27,7 @@ FUTURE_DATE = datetime.date.today() + datetime.timedelta(days=365 * 99)
 FY_START_DATE = datetime.date(2020, 3, 1)
 FY_MID_DATE = datetime.date(2020, 9, 1)
 PAST_DATE = datetime.date(2000, 1, 1)
+TESTS_DIR = Path(__file__).parent
 
 def check_post_meta(txn, *expected_meta, default=None):
     assert len(txn.postings) == len(expected_meta)
@@ -42,6 +43,14 @@ def check_post_meta(txn, *expected_meta, default=None):
 def parse_date(s, fmt='%Y-%m-%d'):
     return datetime.datetime.strptime(s, fmt).date()
 
+def test_path(s):
+    if s is None:
+        return s
+    s = Path(s)
+    if not s.is_absolute():
+        s = TESTS_DIR / s
+    return s
+
 def Posting(account, number,
             currency='USD', cost=None, price=None, flag=None,
             **meta):
@@ -98,14 +107,8 @@ class Transaction:
 
 
 class TestConfig:
-    TESTS_DIR = Path(__file__).parent
-
     def __init__(self, repo_path=None):
-        if repo_path is not None:
-            repo_path = Path(repo_path)
-            if not repo_path.is_absolute():
-                repo_path = Path(self.TESTS_DIR, repo_path)
-        self.repo_path = repo_path
+        self.repo_path = test_path(repo_path)
 
     def repository_path(self):
         return self.repo_path