diff --git a/Makefile.in b/Makefile.in
index 73e832433..9ded5adda 100644
--- a/Makefile.in
+++ b/Makefile.in
@@ -17,6 +17,7 @@ clean:
 
 run: all
 	SPA_PLUGIN_DIR=$(BUILD_ROOT)/spa/plugins \
+	SPA_DATA_DIR=$(BUILD_ROOT)/spa/plugins \
 	PIPEWIRE_MODULE_DIR=$(BUILD_ROOT)/src/modules \
 	PATH=$(BUILD_ROOT)/src/examples:$(PATH) \
 	PIPEWIRE_CONFIG_DIR=$(BUILD_ROOT)/src/daemon \
@@ -26,6 +27,7 @@ run: all
 
 run-pulse: all
 	SPA_PLUGIN_DIR=$(BUILD_ROOT)/spa/plugins \
+	SPA_DATA_DIR=$(BUILD_ROOT)/spa/plugins \
 	PIPEWIRE_MODULE_DIR=$(BUILD_ROOT)/src/modules \
 	PIPEWIRE_CONFIG_DIR=$(BUILD_ROOT)/src/daemon \
 	ACP_PATHS_DIR=$(SOURCE_ROOT)/spa/plugins/alsa/mixer/paths \
@@ -46,11 +48,13 @@ benchmark: all
 
 monitor: all
 	SPA_PLUGIN_DIR=$(BUILD_ROOT)/spa/plugins \
+	SPA_DATA_DIR=$(BUILD_ROOT)/spa/plugins \
 	PIPEWIRE_MODULE_DIR=$(BUILD_ROOT)/src/modules/ \
 	$(BUILD_ROOT)/src/tools/pw-mon
 
 cli: all
 	SPA_PLUGIN_DIR=$(BUILD_ROOT)/spa/plugins \
+	SPA_DATA_DIR=$(BUILD_ROOT)/spa/plugins \
 	PIPEWIRE_MODULE_DIR=$(BUILD_ROOT)/src/modules/ \
 	$(BUILD_ROOT)/src/tools/pw-cli
 
diff --git a/test/pwtest.c b/test/pwtest.c
index f1604c094..3d090f0a3 100644
--- a/test/pwtest.c
+++ b/test/pwtest.c
@@ -731,6 +731,7 @@ static void set_test_env(struct pwtest_context *ctx, struct pwtest_test *t)
 	replace_env(t, "TMPDIR", xdg_runtime_dir);
 
 	replace_env(t, "SPA_PLUGIN_DIR", BUILD_ROOT "/spa/plugins");
+	replace_env(t, "SPA_DATA_DIR", BUILD_ROOT "/spa/plugins");
 	replace_env(t, "PIPEWIRE_CONFIG_DIR", BUILD_ROOT "/src/daemon");
 	replace_env(t, "PIPEWIRE_MODULE_DIR", BUILD_ROOT "/src/modules");
 	replace_env(t, "ACP_PATHS_DIR", SOURCE_ROOT "/spa/plugins/alsa/mixer/paths");