diff --git a/openbsc/tests/ctrl_test_runner.py b/openbsc/tests/ctrl_test_runner.py
index 5030e8b..02bc28a 100644
--- a/openbsc/tests/ctrl_test_runner.py
+++ b/openbsc/tests/ctrl_test_runner.py
@@ -30,7 +30,8 @@
 import osmopy.obscvty as obscvty
 import osmopy.osmoutil as osmoutil
 
-confpath = '.'
+# to be able to find $top_srcdir/doc/...
+confpath = os.path.join(sys.path[0], '..')
 verbose = False
 
 class TestCtrlBase(unittest.TestCase):