diff --git a/tests/Makefile.am b/tests/Makefile.am
index 0304829ba622f576d0f2f5726a5af5bd000a45fa..d3a7868a1f718d1ec36cc4b1a3f960f5ee8baf03 100644
--- a/tests/Makefile.am
+++ b/tests/Makefile.am
@@ -15,6 +15,7 @@ INCLUDES = \
 	$(GETTEXT_CPPFLAGS)
 
 AM_CFLAGS = \
+	-Dabs_builddir="\"`pwd`\"" \
 	$(LIBXML_CFLAGS) \
 	$(GNUTLS_CFLAGS) \
 	$(SASL_CFLAGS) \
@@ -336,9 +337,6 @@ QEMUMONITORTESTUTILS_SOURCES = \
 if WITH_QEMU
 
 libqemumonitortestutils_la_SOURCES = $(QEMUMONITORTESTUTILS_SOURCES)
-libqemumonitortestutils_la_CFLAGS = \
-	-Dabs_builddir="\"`pwd`\"" $(AM_CFLAGS)
-
 
 qemu_LDADDS = ../src/libvirt_driver_qemu_impl.la
 if WITH_NETWORK
@@ -381,7 +379,6 @@ qemumonitorjsontest_SOURCES = \
 	testutilsqemu.c testutilsqemu.h \
 	$(NULL)
 qemumonitorjsontest_LDADD = $(qemu_LDADDS) libqemumonitortestutils.la
-qemumonitorjsontest_CFLAGS = -Dabs_builddir="\"$(abs_builddir)\""  $(AM_CFLAGS)
 
 domainsnapshotxml2xmltest_SOURCES = \
 	domainsnapshotxml2xmltest.c testutilsqemu.c testutilsqemu.h \
@@ -519,12 +516,10 @@ nodeinfotest_LDADD = $(LDADDS)
 
 commandtest_SOURCES = \
 	commandtest.c testutils.h testutils.c
-commandtest_CFLAGS = -Dabs_builddir="\"`pwd`\"" $(AM_CFLAGS)
 commandtest_LDADD = $(LDADDS)
 
 commandhelper_SOURCES = \
 	commandhelper.c
-commandhelper_CFLAGS = -Dabs_builddir="\"`pwd`\"" $(AM_CFLAGS)
 commandhelper_LDADD = $(LDADDS)
 commandhelper_LDFLAGS = -static
 
@@ -532,7 +527,6 @@ if WITH_LIBVIRTD
 libvirtdconftest_SOURCES = \
 	libvirtdconftest.c testutils.h testutils.c \
 	../daemon/libvirtd-config.c
-libvirtdconftest_CFLAGS = $(AM_CFLAGS)
 libvirtdconftest_LDADD = $(LDADDS)
 else
 EXTRA_DIST += libvirtdconftest.c
@@ -540,19 +534,16 @@ endif
 
 virnetmessagetest_SOURCES = \
 	virnetmessagetest.c testutils.h testutils.c
-virnetmessagetest_CFLAGS = -Dabs_builddir="\"$(abs_builddir)\"" \
-		$(XDR_CFLAGS) $(AM_CFLAGS)
+virnetmessagetest_CFLAGS = $(XDR_CFLAGS) $(AM_CFLAGS)
 virnetmessagetest_LDADD = $(LDADDS)
 
 virnetsockettest_SOURCES = \
 	virnetsockettest.c testutils.h testutils.c
-virnetsockettest_CFLAGS = -Dabs_builddir="\"$(abs_builddir)\"" $(AM_CFLAGS)
 virnetsockettest_LDADD = $(LDADDS)
 
 if WITH_GNUTLS
 virnettlscontexttest_SOURCES = \
 	virnettlscontexttest.c testutils.h testutils.c
-virnettlscontexttest_CFLAGS = -Dabs_builddir="\"$(abs_builddir)\"" $(AM_CFLAGS)
 virnettlscontexttest_LDADD = $(LDADDS)
 if HAVE_LIBTASN1
 virnettlscontexttest_SOURCES += pkix_asn1_tab.c
@@ -567,27 +558,22 @@ endif
 
 virtimetest_SOURCES = \
 	virtimetest.c testutils.h testutils.c
-virtimetest_CFLAGS = -Dabs_builddir="\"$(abs_builddir)\"" $(AM_CFLAGS)
 virtimetest_LDADD = $(LDADDS)
 
 virstringtest_SOURCES = \
 	virstringtest.c testutils.h testutils.c
-virstringtest_CFLAGS = -Dabs_builddir="\"$(abs_builddir)\"" $(AM_CFLAGS)
 virstringtest_LDADD = $(LDADDS)
 
 virstoragetest_SOURCES = \
 	virstoragetest.c testutils.h testutils.c
-virstoragetest_CFLAGS = -Dabs_builddir="\"$(abs_builddir)\"" $(AM_CFLAGS)
 virstoragetest_LDADD = $(LDADDS)
 
 virlockspacetest_SOURCES = \
 	virlockspacetest.c testutils.h testutils.c
-virlockspacetest_CFLAGS = -Dabs_builddir="\"$(abs_builddir)\"" $(AM_CFLAGS)
 virlockspacetest_LDADD = $(LDADDS)
 
 virportallocatortest_SOURCES = \
 	virportallocatortest.c testutils.h testutils.c
-virportallocatortest_CFLAGS = -Dabs_builddir="\"$(abs_builddir)\"" $(AM_CFLAGS)
 virportallocatortest_LDADD = $(LDADDS)
 
 libvirportallocatormock_la_SOURCES = \
@@ -599,17 +585,14 @@ libvirportallocatormock_la_LDFLAGS = -module -avoid-version \
 
 viruritest_SOURCES = \
 	viruritest.c testutils.h testutils.c
-viruritest_CFLAGS = -Dabs_builddir="\"$(abs_builddir)\"" $(AM_CFLAGS)
 viruritest_LDADD = $(LDADDS)
 
 virkeyfiletest_SOURCES = \
 	virkeyfiletest.c testutils.h testutils.c
-virkeyfiletest_CFLAGS = -Dabs_builddir="\"$(abs_builddir)\"" $(AM_CFLAGS)
 virkeyfiletest_LDADD = $(LDADDS)
 
 virauthconfigtest_SOURCES = \
 	virauthconfigtest.c testutils.h testutils.c
-virauthconfigtest_CFLAGS = -Dabs_builddir="\"$(abs_builddir)\"" $(AM_CFLAGS)
 virauthconfigtest_LDADD = $(LDADDS)
 
 seclabeltest_SOURCES = \
@@ -625,13 +608,11 @@ endif
 
 libsecurityselinuxhelper_la_SOURCES = \
 	securityselinuxhelper.c
-libsecurityselinuxhelper_la_CFLAGS = $(AM_CFLAGS)
 libsecurityselinuxhelper_la_LDFLAGS = -module -avoid-version \
         -rpath /evil/libtool/hack/to/force/shared/lib/creation
 
 securityselinuxtest_SOURCES = \
 	securityselinuxtest.c testutils.h testutils.c
-securityselinuxtest_CFLAGS = -Dabs_builddir="\"$(abs_builddir)\"" $(AM_CFLAGS)
 securityselinuxtest_LDADD = $(LDADDS)
 securityselinuxtest_DEPENDENCIES = libsecurityselinuxhelper.la ../src/libvirt.la
 
@@ -640,7 +621,6 @@ if WITH_ATTR
 securityselinuxlabeltest_SOURCES = \
 	securityselinuxlabeltest.c testutils.h testutils.c \
         testutilsqemu.h testutilsqemu.c
-securityselinuxlabeltest_CFLAGS = -Dabs_builddir="\"$(abs_builddir)\"" $(AM_CFLAGS)
 securityselinuxlabeltest_LDADD = $(qemu_LDADDS)
 securityselinuxlabeltest_DEPENDENCIES = libsecurityselinuxhelper.la ../src/libvirt.la
 endif
@@ -679,7 +659,6 @@ utiltest_LDADD = $(LDADDS)
 if WITH_DRIVER_MODULES
 virdrivermoduletest_SOURCES = \
 	virdrivermoduletest.c testutils.h testutils.c
-virdrivermoduletest_CFLAGS = -Dabs_builddir="\"$(abs_builddir)\"" $(AM_CFLAGS)
 virdrivermoduletest_LDADD = $(LDADDS)
 endif