diff --git a/app/core/gimp-templates.c b/app/core/gimp-templates.c
index 3d0142a1bc..3a25c86541 100644
--- a/app/core/gimp-templates.c
+++ b/app/core/gimp-templates.c
@@ -57,7 +57,18 @@ gimp_templates_load (Gimp *gimp)
           g_clear_error (&error);
           g_object_unref (file);
 
-          file = gimp_sysconf_directory_file ("templaterc", NULL);
+          if (g_getenv ("GIMP_TESTING_ABS_TOP_SRCDIR"))
+            {
+              gchar *path;
+              path = g_build_filename (g_getenv ("GIMP_TESTING_ABS_TOP_SRCDIR"),
+                                       "etc", "templaterc", NULL);
+              file = g_file_new_for_path (path);
+              g_free (path);
+            }
+          else
+            {
+              file = gimp_sysconf_directory_file ("templaterc", NULL);
+            }
 
           if (! gimp_config_deserialize_file (GIMP_CONFIG (gimp->templates),
                                               file, NULL, &error))
diff --git a/app/widgets/gimpcontrollers.c b/app/widgets/gimpcontrollers.c
index 9268627121..d7ff9ac7e1 100644
--- a/app/widgets/gimpcontrollers.c
+++ b/app/widgets/gimpcontrollers.c
@@ -158,7 +158,18 @@ gimp_controllers_restore (Gimp          *gimp,
           g_clear_error (&error);
           g_object_unref (file);
 
-          file = gimp_sysconf_directory_file ("controllerrc", NULL);
+          if (g_getenv ("GIMP_TESTING_ABS_TOP_SRCDIR"))
+            {
+              gchar *path;
+              path = g_build_filename (g_getenv ("GIMP_TESTING_ABS_TOP_SRCDIR"),
+                                       "etc", "controllerrc", NULL);
+              file = g_file_new_for_path (path);
+              g_free (path);
+            }
+          else
+            {
+              file = gimp_sysconf_directory_file ("controllerrc", NULL);
+            }
 
           if (! gimp_config_deserialize_file (GIMP_CONFIG (manager->controllers),
                                               file, NULL, &error))