diff --git a/test/framework/sandbox/easybuild/easyblocks/generic/toy_extension.py b/test/framework/sandbox/easybuild/easyblocks/generic/toy_extension.py
index 15fe5773aa..28792ff4df 100644
--- a/test/framework/sandbox/easybuild/easyblocks/generic/toy_extension.py
+++ b/test/framework/sandbox/easybuild/easyblocks/generic/toy_extension.py
@@ -93,7 +93,7 @@ def run_async(self, thread_pool):
             cmd = f"echo 'no sources for {self.name}'"
 
         return thread_pool.submit(run_shell_cmd, cmd, asynchronous=True, env=os.environ.copy(),
-                                  fail_on_error=False, task_id=task_id)
+                                  fail_on_error=False, task_id=task_id, work_dir=os.getcwd())
 
     def postrun(self):
         """
diff --git a/test/framework/sandbox/easybuild/easyblocks/t/toy.py b/test/framework/sandbox/easybuild/easyblocks/t/toy.py
index fb842bfe06..19b19d32dd 100644
--- a/test/framework/sandbox/easybuild/easyblocks/t/toy.py
+++ b/test/framework/sandbox/easybuild/easyblocks/t/toy.py
@@ -170,7 +170,7 @@ def run_async(self, thread_pool):
         cmd = compose_toy_build_cmd(self.cfg, self.name, self.cfg['prebuildopts'], self.cfg['buildopts'])
         task_id = f'ext_{self.name}_{self.version}'
         return thread_pool.submit(run_shell_cmd, cmd, asynchronous=True, env=os.environ.copy(),
-                                  fail_on_error=False, task_id=task_id)
+                                  fail_on_error=False, task_id=task_id, work_dir=os.getcwd())
 
     def postrun(self):
         """