diff --git a/tests/check/CMakeLists.txt b/tests/check/CMakeLists.txt
index c3a39b0f6..077839615 100644
--- a/tests/check/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/tests/check/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -24,8 +24,13 @@ set_property(TARGET kmstestutils
 )
 
 include(TestHelpers)
+
+set(GST_DEBUG_DUMP_DOT_DIR "${CMAKE_BINARY_DIR}/debug/dots" CACHE PATH "Sets the directory where dot files will be dumped")
+file(MAKE_DIRECTORY "${GST_DEBUG_DUMP_DOT_DIR}")
+
 set(TEST_VARIABLES
-  "GST_PLUGIN_PATH=$ENV{GST_PLUGIN_PATH}:${CMAKE_BINARY_DIR}"
+  "GST_DEBUG_DUMP_DOT_DIR=${GST_DEBUG_DUMP_DOT_DIR}"
+  "GST_PLUGIN_PATH=${CMAKE_BINARY_DIR}:$ENV{GST_PLUGIN_PATH}"
   "CK_DEFAULT_TIMEOUT=50"
 )
 set(VALGRIND_TEST_VARIABLES
diff --git a/tests/server/CMakeLists.txt b/tests/server/CMakeLists.txt
index bf26e97c2..52a37337e 100644
--- a/tests/server/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/tests/server/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 set(TEST_VARIABLES
-  "GST_PLUGIN_PATH=$ENV{GST_PLUGIN_PATH}:${CMAKE_BINARY_DIR}"
+  "GST_PLUGIN_PATH=${CMAKE_BINARY_DIR}:$ENV{GST_PLUGIN_PATH}"
 )
 set(VALGRIND_TEST_VARIABLES
   "${TEST_VARIABLES}"