diff --git a/modules/bindings/tests/test_hhblits.py b/modules/bindings/tests/test_hhblits.py
index de43969a667550a60bf0dc6712ed2a1acaf1b1d0..46f794179423bde201ec7af2537d8fb57c9f5584 100644
--- a/modules/bindings/tests/test_hhblits.py
+++ b/modules/bindings/tests/test_hhblits.py
@@ -113,7 +113,8 @@ class TestHHblitsBindings(unittest.TestCase):
                                        'ALTNAVAHVDDMPNALSALSDLHAHKLRVDPVNFKL'+
                                        'LSHCLLVTLAAHLPAEFTPAVHASLDKFLASVSTVL'+
                                        'TSKYR')
-        self.hh = hhblits.HHblits(query_seq, self.hhroot)
+        self.hh = hhblits.HHblits(query_seq, self.hhroot,
+                                  working_dir='testfiles')
         a3m = self.hh.BuildQueryMSA('testfiles/hhblitsdb/hhblitsdb')
         print "BIENCHEN A3M", a3m
         self.assertTrue(filecmp.cmp(a3m, "testfiles/testali.a3m"))