diff --git a/tests/testutil.py b/tests/testutil.py
index def907546f82095bf0f4d7bedc94392732cbde31..298c40e64655c4d997e32c095005e94b93282103 100644
--- a/tests/testutil.py
+++ b/tests/testutil.py
@@ -255,10 +255,7 @@ class TestConfig:
                  repo_path=None,
                  rt_client=None,
     ):
-        if books_path is None:
-            self._books_loader = None
-        else:
-            self._books_loader = TestBooksLoader(books_path)
+        self._books_path = books_path
         self.fiscal_year = fiscal_year
         self._payment_threshold = Decimal(payment_threshold)
         self.repo_path = test_path(repo_path)
@@ -269,7 +266,13 @@ class TestConfig:
             self._rt_wrapper = rtutil.RT(rt_client)
 
     def books_loader(self):
-        return self._books_loader
+        if self._books_path is None:
+            return None
+        else:
+            return TestBooksLoader(self._books_path)
+
+    def books_path(self):
+        return self._books_path
 
     def books_repo(self):
         return None