diff --git a/mysql-test/mysql-test-run.sh b/mysql-test/mysql-test-run.sh
index fb3484c212e..93f741aecff 100644
--- a/mysql-test/mysql-test-run.sh
+++ b/mysql-test/mysql-test-run.sh
@@ -171,7 +171,8 @@ BASEDIR=`pwd`
 cd $CWD
 MYSQL_TEST_DIR=$BASEDIR/mysql-test
 MYSQL_TEST_WINDIR=$MYSQL_TEST_DIR
-export MYSQL_TEST_DIR MYSQL_TEST_WINDIR
+MYSQLTEST_VARDIR=$MYSQL_TEST_DIR/var
+export MYSQL_TEST_DIR MYSQL_TEST_WINDIR MYSQLTEST_VARDIR
 STD_DATA=$MYSQL_TEST_DIR/std_data
 hostname=`hostname`		# Installed in the mysql privilege table