diff --git a/desktop-shell/shell.c b/desktop-shell/shell.c
index 20536d75..99f3343f 100644
--- a/desktop-shell/shell.c
+++ b/desktop-shell/shell.c
@@ -567,7 +567,7 @@ shell_configuration(struct desktop_shell *shell)
 {
 	struct weston_config_section *section;
 	int duration;
-	char *s;
+	char *s, *client;
 
 	section = weston_config_get_section(shell->compositor->config,
 					    "screensaver", NULL, NULL);
@@ -578,8 +578,11 @@ shell_configuration(struct desktop_shell *shell)
 
 	section = weston_config_get_section(shell->compositor->config,
 					    "shell", NULL, NULL);
+	asprintf(&client, "%s/%s", weston_config_get_libexec_dir(),
+				   WESTON_SHELL_CLIENT);
 	weston_config_section_get_string(section,
-					 "client", &s, LIBEXECDIR "/" WESTON_SHELL_CLIENT);
+					 "client", &s, client);
+	free(client);
 	shell->client = s;
 	weston_config_section_get_string(section,
 					 "binding-modifier", &s, "super");
diff --git a/shared/config-parser.c b/shared/config-parser.c
index 8defbbb4..4542ca61 100644
--- a/shared/config-parser.c
+++ b/shared/config-parser.c
@@ -282,6 +282,18 @@ weston_config_section_get_bool(struct weston_config_section *section,
 	return 0;
 }
 
+WL_EXPORT
+const char *
+weston_config_get_libexec_dir(void)
+{
+	const char *path = getenv("WESTON_BUILD_DIR");
+
+	if (path)
+		return path;
+
+	return LIBEXECDIR;
+}
+
 static struct weston_config_section *
 config_add_section(struct weston_config *config, const char *name)
 {
diff --git a/shared/config-parser.h b/shared/config-parser.h
index 745562bc..1ecc8cc2 100644
--- a/shared/config-parser.h
+++ b/shared/config-parser.h
@@ -92,6 +92,9 @@ int
 weston_config_section_get_bool(struct weston_config_section *section,
 			       const char *key,
 			       int *value, int default_value);
+const char *
+weston_config_get_libexec_dir(void);
+
 struct weston_config *
 weston_config_parse(const char *name);
 
diff --git a/src/screenshooter.c b/src/screenshooter.c
index 44039332..af2c754a 100644
--- a/src/screenshooter.c
+++ b/src/screenshooter.c
@@ -286,12 +286,16 @@ screenshooter_binding(struct weston_seat *seat, uint32_t time, uint32_t key,
 		      void *data)
 {
 	struct screenshooter *shooter = data;
-	const char *screenshooter_exe = LIBEXECDIR "/weston-screenshooter";
+	char *screenshooter_exe;
+
+	asprintf(&screenshooter_exe, "%s/%s", weston_config_get_libexec_dir(),
+					      "/weston-screenshooter");
 
 	if (!shooter->client)
 		shooter->client = weston_client_launch(shooter->ec,
 					&shooter->process,
 					screenshooter_exe, screenshooter_sigchld);
+	free(screenshooter_exe);
 }
 
 struct weston_recorder {
diff --git a/src/text-backend.c b/src/text-backend.c
index 1d549d43..7d2a0640 100644
--- a/src/text-backend.c
+++ b/src/text-backend.c
@@ -937,12 +937,16 @@ static void
 text_backend_configuration(struct text_backend *text_backend)
 {
 	struct weston_config_section *section;
+	char *client;
 
 	section = weston_config_get_section(text_backend->compositor->config,
 					    "input-method", NULL, NULL);
+	asprintf(&client, "%s/weston-keyboard",
+		 weston_config_get_libexec_dir());
 	weston_config_section_get_string(section, "path",
 					 &text_backend->input_method.path,
-					 LIBEXECDIR "/weston-keyboard");
+					 client);
+	free(client);
 }
 
 static void
diff --git a/tests/weston-tests-env b/tests/weston-tests-env
index 473e0925..e332354c 100755
--- a/tests/weston-tests-env
+++ b/tests/weston-tests-env
@@ -28,6 +28,7 @@ XWAYLAND_PLUGIN=$abs_builddir/.libs/xwayland.so
 
 case $TESTNAME in
 	*.la|*.so)
+		WESTON_BUILD_DIR=$abs_builddir \
 		$WESTON --backend=$BACKEND \
 			--no-config \
 			--shell=$SHELL_PLUGIN \
@@ -37,6 +38,7 @@ case $TESTNAME in
 			&> "$OUTLOG"
 		;;
 	*)
+		WESTON_BUILD_DIR=$abs_builddir \
 		WESTON_TEST_CLIENT_PATH=$abs_builddir/$TESTNAME $WESTON \
 			--socket=test-$(basename $TESTNAME) \
 			--backend=$BACKEND \