diff --git a/easybuild/tools/filetools.py b/easybuild/tools/filetools.py
index 7381bb1d92..120eb9640a 100644
--- a/easybuild/tools/filetools.py
+++ b/easybuild/tools/filetools.py
@@ -61,6 +61,7 @@
 import zlib
 from functools import partial
 from html.parser import HTMLParser
+from pathlib import Path
 import urllib.request as std_urllib
 
 from easybuild.base import fancylogger
@@ -2777,7 +2778,7 @@ def copy(paths, target_path, force_in_dry_run=False, **kwargs):
     :param force_in_dry_run: force running the command during dry run
     :param kwargs: additional named arguments to pass down to copy_dir
     """
-    if isinstance(paths, str):
+    if isinstance(paths, (str, Path)):
         paths = [paths]
 
     _log.info("Copying %d files & directories to %s", len(paths), target_path)
diff --git a/test/framework/__init__.py b/test/framework/__init__.py
index 895b15e622..04daadf7fa 100644
--- a/test/framework/__init__.py
+++ b/test/framework/__init__.py
@@ -27,3 +27,13 @@
 
 @author: Toon Willems (Ghent University)
 """
+
+from pathlib import Path
+from easybuild.tools.filetools import read_file
+
+TEST_DIR = Path(__file__).parent
+REPO_ROOT = TEST_DIR.parent.parent
+TEST_MODULES_DIR = TEST_DIR / 'modules'
+TEST_ECS_DIR = TEST_DIR / 'easyconfigs' / 'test_ecs'
+TOY_EC = TEST_ECS_DIR / 't' / 'toy' / 'toy-0.0.eb'
+TOY_EC_TXT: str = read_file(TOY_EC)
diff --git a/test/framework/easyblock.py b/test/framework/easyblock.py
index 25760f1db8..3448ff6ffa 100644
--- a/test/framework/easyblock.py
+++ b/test/framework/easyblock.py
@@ -44,6 +44,7 @@
 from inspect import cleandoc
 from test.framework.github import requires_github_access
 from test.framework.utilities import EnhancedTestCase, TestLoaderFiltered, init_config
+from test.framework import TEST_DIR, TEST_ECS_DIR, TEST_MODULES_DIR, TOY_EC, TOY_EC_TXT
 from unittest import TextTestRunner
 
 import easybuild.tools.systemtools as st
@@ -172,8 +173,7 @@ def test_load_module(self):
         tmp_modules = os.path.join(self.test_prefix, 'modules')
         mkdir(tmp_modules)
 
-        test_dir = os.path.abspath(os.path.dirname(__file__))
-        copy_dir(os.path.join(test_dir, 'modules', 'OpenMPI'), os.path.join(tmp_modules, 'OpenMPI'))
+        copy_dir(os.path.join(TEST_MODULES_DIR, 'OpenMPI'), os.path.join(tmp_modules, 'OpenMPI'))
 
         openmpi_module = os.path.join(tmp_modules, 'OpenMPI', '2.1.2-GCC-6.4.0-2.28')
         ompi_mod_txt = read_file(openmpi_module)
@@ -223,12 +223,10 @@ def test_load_module(self):
         # test HMNS module load when conflicting dependencies are available in both Core and
         # toolchain-specific modulepaths
         # see also https://github.com/easybuilders/easybuild-framework/issues/4986
-        test_ecs_path = os.path.join(os.path.dirname(os.path.abspath(__file__)),
-                                     'easyconfigs', 'test_ecs')
         os.environ['EASYBUILD_MODULE_NAMING_SCHEME'] = 'HierarchicalMNS'
         build_options = {
             'generate_devel_module': True,  # go through EasyBlock.fake_module_environment()
-            'robot_path': [test_ecs_path],
+            'robot_path': [TEST_ECS_DIR],
         }
         init_config(build_options=build_options)
 
@@ -236,9 +234,8 @@ def test_load_module(self):
         mod_prefix = os.path.join(self.test_installpath, 'modules', 'all')
         mkdir(mod_prefix, parents=True)
         for mod_subdir in ['Core', 'Compiler']:
-            src_mod_path = os.path.join(os.path.dirname(os.path.abspath(__file__)),
-                                        'modules', 'HierarchicalMNS', mod_subdir)
-            copy_dir(src_mod_path, os.path.join(mod_prefix, mod_subdir))
+            copy_dir(os.path.join(TEST_MODULES_DIR, 'HierarchicalMNS', mod_subdir),
+                     os.path.join(mod_prefix, mod_subdir))
 
         # tweak use statements in toolchain module to ensure correct paths
         modfile = os.path.join(mod_prefix, 'Core', 'GCCcore', '12.3.0')
@@ -248,7 +245,7 @@ def test_load_module(self):
                           line)
             sys.stdout.write(line)
 
-        test_eb_file = os.path.join(test_ecs_path, 'g', 'GLib', 'GLib-2.77.1-GCCcore-12.3.0.eb')
+        test_eb_file = os.path.join(TEST_ECS_DIR, 'g', 'GLib', 'GLib-2.77.1-GCCcore-12.3.0.eb')
         eb = EasyBlock(EasyConfig(test_eb_file))
 
         self.reset_modulepath([os.path.join(mod_prefix)])
@@ -1078,11 +1075,10 @@ def test_make_module_dep(self):
 
     def test_make_module_dep_hmns(self):
         """Test for make_module_dep under HMNS"""
-        test_ecs_path = os.path.join(os.path.dirname(os.path.abspath(__file__)), 'easyconfigs', 'test_ecs')
         all_stops = [x[0] for x in EasyBlock.get_steps()]
         build_options = {
             'check_osdeps': False,
-            'robot_path': [test_ecs_path],
+            'robot_path': [TEST_ECS_DIR],
             'silent': True,
             'valid_stops': all_stops,
             'validate': False,
@@ -1123,11 +1119,10 @@ def test_make_module_dep_hmns(self):
 
     def test_make_module_dep_of_dep_hmns(self):
         """Test for make_module_dep under HMNS with dependencies of dependencies"""
-        test_ecs_path = os.path.join(os.path.dirname(os.path.abspath(__file__)), 'easyconfigs', 'test_ecs')
         all_stops = [x[0] for x in EasyBlock.get_steps()]
         build_options = {
             'check_osdeps': False,
-            'robot_path': [test_ecs_path],
+            'robot_path': [TEST_ECS_DIR],
             'valid_stops': all_stops,
             'validate': False,
         }
@@ -1203,11 +1198,8 @@ def test_det_iter_cnt(self):
 
     def test_handle_iterate_opts(self):
         """Test for handle_iterate_opts method."""
-        testdir = os.path.abspath(os.path.dirname(__file__))
-        toy_ec = os.path.join(testdir, 'easyconfigs', 'test_ecs', 't', 'toy', 'toy-0.0.eb')
-
         test_ec = os.path.join(self.test_prefix, 'test.eb')
-        write_file(test_ec, read_file(toy_ec) + "\nconfigopts = ['--opt1 --anotheropt', '--opt2', '--opt3 --optbis']")
+        write_file(test_ec, TOY_EC_TXT + "\nconfigopts = ['--opt1 --anotheropt', '--opt2', '--opt3 --optbis']")
 
         ec = process_easyconfig(test_ec)[0]
         eb = get_easyblock_instance(ec)
@@ -1383,15 +1375,12 @@ def test_post_processing_step(self):
         """Test post_processing_step and deprecated post_install_step."""
         init_config(build_options={'silent': True})
 
-        test_ecs_dir = os.path.join(os.path.abspath(os.path.dirname(__file__)), 'easyconfigs', 'test_ecs')
-        toy_ec_fn = os.path.join(test_ecs_dir, 't', 'toy', 'toy-0.0.eb')
-
         # these imports only work here, since EB_toy is a test easyblock
         from easybuild.easyblocks.toy import EB_toy
         from easybuild.easyblocks.toy_deprecated import EB_toy_deprecated
 
         cwd = os.getcwd()
-        toy_ec = EasyConfig(toy_ec_fn)
+        toy_ec = EasyConfig(TOY_EC)
         eb = EB_toy_deprecated(toy_ec)
         eb.silent = True
         depr_msg = r"EasyBlock.post_install_step\(\) is deprecated, use EasyBlock.post_processing_step\(\) instead"
@@ -1400,7 +1389,7 @@ def test_post_processing_step(self):
             self.assertErrorRegex(EasyBuildError, expected_error, eb.run_all_steps, True)
 
         change_dir(cwd)
-        toy_ec = EasyConfig(toy_ec_fn)
+        toy_ec = EasyConfig(TOY_EC)
         eb = EB_toy(toy_ec)
         eb.silent = True
         with self.mocked_stdout_stderr() as (_, stderr), self.saved_env():
@@ -1418,7 +1407,7 @@ def test_post_processing_step(self):
         change_dir(cwd)
 
         self.allow_deprecated_behaviour()
-        toy_ec = EasyConfig(toy_ec_fn)
+        toy_ec = EasyConfig(TOY_EC)
         eb = EB_toy_deprecated(toy_ec)
         eb.silent = True
         with self.mocked_stdout_stderr() as (stdout, stderr), self.saved_env():
@@ -1527,8 +1516,7 @@ def test_extensions_step_deprecations(self):
     def test_init_extensions(self):
         """Test creating extension instances."""
 
-        testdir = os.path.abspath(os.path.dirname(__file__))
-        toy_ec_file = os.path.join(testdir, 'easyconfigs', 'test_ecs', 't', 'toy', 'toy-0.0-gompi-2018a-test.eb')
+        toy_ec_file = os.path.join(TEST_ECS_DIR, 't', 'toy', 'toy-0.0-gompi-2018a-test.eb')
         toy_ec_txt = read_file(toy_ec_file)
 
         test_ec = os.path.join(self.test_prefix, 'test.eb')
@@ -1992,9 +1980,8 @@ def test_make_builddir(self):
     def test_get_easyblock_instance(self):
         """Test get_easyblock_instance function."""
         from easybuild.easyblocks.toy import EB_toy
-        testdir = os.path.abspath(os.path.dirname(__file__))
 
-        ec = process_easyconfig(os.path.join(testdir, 'easyconfigs', 'test_ecs', 't', 'toy', 'toy-0.0.eb'))[0]
+        ec = process_easyconfig(TOY_EC)[0]
         eb = get_easyblock_instance(ec)
         self.assertIsInstance(eb, EB_toy)
 
@@ -2006,11 +1993,10 @@ def test_get_easyblock_instance(self):
 
     def test_fetch_sources(self):
         """Test fetch_sources method."""
-        testdir = os.path.abspath(os.path.dirname(__file__))
-        ec = process_easyconfig(os.path.join(testdir, 'easyconfigs', 'test_ecs', 't', 'toy', 'toy-0.0.eb'))[0]
+        ec = process_easyconfig(TOY_EC)[0]
         eb = get_easyblock_instance(ec)
 
-        toy_source = os.path.join(testdir, 'sandbox', 'sources', 'toy', 'toy-0.0.tar.gz')
+        toy_source = os.path.join(TEST_DIR, 'sandbox', 'sources', 'toy', 'toy-0.0.tar.gz')
 
         with self.mocked_stdout_stderr():
             eb.fetch_sources()
@@ -2081,8 +2067,7 @@ def test_fetch_sources(self):
     def test_fetch_sources_git(self):
         """Test fetch_sources method from git repo."""
 
-        testdir = os.path.abspath(os.path.dirname(__file__))
-        ec = process_easyconfig(os.path.join(testdir, 'easyconfigs', 'test_ecs', 't', 'toy', 'toy-0.0.eb'))[0]
+        ec = process_easyconfig(TOY_EC)[0]
         eb = get_easyblock_instance(ec)
         eb.src = []
         sources = [
@@ -2223,8 +2208,7 @@ def test_download_instructions(self):
 
     def test_fetch_patches(self):
         """Test fetch_patches method."""
-        testdir = os.path.abspath(os.path.dirname(__file__))
-        ec = process_easyconfig(os.path.join(testdir, 'easyconfigs', 'test_ecs', 't', 'toy', 'toy-0.0.eb'))[0]
+        ec = process_easyconfig(TOY_EC)[0]
         eb = get_easyblock_instance(ec)
 
         toy_patch = 'toy-0.0_fix-silly-typo-in-printf-statement.patch'
@@ -2257,8 +2241,7 @@ def test_fetch_patches(self):
         self.assertEqual(eb.patches[3]['copy'], 'some/path')
         self.assertEqual(eb.patches[4]['name'], toy_patch)
         self.assertEqual(eb.patches[4]['level'], 0)
-        testdir = os.path.abspath(os.path.dirname(__file__))
-        sandbox_sources = os.path.join(testdir, 'sandbox', 'sources')
+        sandbox_sources = os.path.join(TEST_DIR, 'sandbox', 'sources')
         self.assertEqual(eb.patches[4]['path'], os.path.join(sandbox_sources, 'alt_toy', toy_patch))
 
         patches = [
@@ -2269,8 +2252,7 @@ def test_fetch_patches(self):
     def test_obtain_file(self):
         """Test obtain_file method."""
         toy_tarball = 'toy-0.0.tar.gz'
-        testdir = os.path.abspath(os.path.dirname(__file__))
-        sandbox_sources = os.path.join(testdir, 'sandbox', 'sources')
+        sandbox_sources = os.path.join(TEST_DIR, 'sandbox', 'sources')
         toy_tarball_path = os.path.join(sandbox_sources, 'toy', toy_tarball)
         alt_toy_tarball_path = os.path.join(sandbox_sources, 'alt_toy', toy_tarball)
         tmpdir = tempfile.mkdtemp()
@@ -2278,15 +2260,14 @@ def test_obtain_file(self):
         mkdir(tmpdir_subdir, parents=True)
         del os.environ['EASYBUILD_SOURCEPATH']  # defined by setUp
 
-        toy_ec = os.path.join(testdir, 'easyconfigs', 'test_ecs', 't', 'toy', 'toy-0.0.eb')
         test_ec = os.path.join(tmpdir, 'ecs', 'test.eb')
-        copy_file(toy_ec, test_ec)
+        copy_file(TOY_EC, test_ec)
 
         ec = process_easyconfig(test_ec)[0]
         eb = EasyBlock(ec['ec'])
 
         # 'downloading' a file to (first) sourcepath works
-        init_config(args=["--sourcepath=%s:/no/such/dir:%s" % (tmpdir, testdir)])
+        init_config(args=["--sourcepath=%s:/no/such/dir:%s" % (tmpdir, TEST_DIR)])
         shutil.copy2(toy_tarball_path, tmpdir_subdir)
         with self.mocked_stdout_stderr():
             res = eb.obtain_file(toy_tarball, urls=['file://%s' % tmpdir_subdir])
@@ -2428,10 +2409,9 @@ def test_fallback_source_url(self):
 
     def test_collect_exts_file_info(self):
         """Test collect_exts_file_info method."""
-        testdir = os.path.abspath(os.path.dirname(__file__))
-        toy_sources = os.path.join(testdir, 'sandbox', 'sources', 'toy')
+        toy_sources = os.path.join(TEST_DIR, 'sandbox', 'sources', 'toy')
         toy_ext_sources = os.path.join(toy_sources, 'extensions')
-        toy_ec_file = os.path.join(testdir, 'easyconfigs', 'test_ecs', 't', 'toy', 'toy-0.0-gompi-2018a-test.eb')
+        toy_ec_file = os.path.join(TEST_ECS_DIR, 't', 'toy', 'toy-0.0-gompi-2018a-test.eb')
 
         test_ec = os.path.join(self.test_prefix, 'test.eb')
         new_ext_txt = "('baz', '0.0', {'nosource': True}),"  # With nosource option
@@ -2526,8 +2506,7 @@ def test_collect_exts_file_info(self):
     def test_obtain_file_extension(self):
         """Test use of obtain_file method on an extension."""
 
-        testdir = os.path.abspath(os.path.dirname(__file__))
-        toy_ec_file = os.path.join(testdir, 'easyconfigs', 'test_ecs', 't', 'toy', 'toy-0.0-gompi-2018a-test.eb')
+        toy_ec_file = os.path.join(TEST_ECS_DIR, 't', 'toy', 'toy-0.0-gompi-2018a-test.eb')
         toy_ec = process_easyconfig(toy_ec_file)[0]
         toy_eb = EasyBlock(toy_ec['ec'])
 
@@ -2548,8 +2527,7 @@ def test_check_readiness(self):
 
         # check that check_readiness step works (adding dependencies, etc.)
         ec_file = 'OpenMPI-2.1.2-GCC-6.4.0-2.28.eb'
-        topdir = os.path.dirname(os.path.abspath(__file__))
-        ec_path = os.path.join(topdir, 'easyconfigs', 'test_ecs', 'o', 'OpenMPI', ec_file)
+        ec_path = os.path.join(TEST_ECS_DIR, 'o', 'OpenMPI', ec_file)
         ec = EasyConfig(ec_path)
         eb = EasyBlock(ec)
         eb.check_readiness_step()
@@ -2575,11 +2553,10 @@ def test_exclude_path_to_top_of_module_tree(self):
         w.r.t. not including any load statements for modules that build up the path to the top of the module tree.
         """
         self.orig_module_naming_scheme = config.get_module_naming_scheme()
-        test_ecs_path = os.path.join(os.path.dirname(os.path.abspath(__file__)), 'easyconfigs', 'test_ecs')
         all_stops = [x[0] for x in EasyBlock.get_steps()]
         build_options = {
             'check_osdeps': False,
-            'robot_path': [test_ecs_path],
+            'robot_path': [TEST_ECS_DIR],
             'valid_stops': all_stops,
             'validate': False,
         }
@@ -2603,7 +2580,7 @@ def test_exclude_path_to_top_of_module_tree(self):
             ('i/imkl/imkl-11.3.1.150-iimpi-2016.01.eb', imkl_modfile_path, iccifort_mods + ['iimpi', 'impi']),
         ]
         for ec_file, modfile_path, excluded_deps in tests:
-            ec = EasyConfig(os.path.join(test_ecs_path, ec_file))
+            ec = EasyConfig(os.path.join(TEST_ECS_DIR, ec_file))
             eb = EasyBlock(ec)
             with self.mocked_stdout_stderr():
                 eb.toolchain.prepare()
@@ -2635,9 +2612,7 @@ def test_patch_step(self):
         """Test patch step."""
         cwd = os.getcwd()
 
-        testdir = os.path.abspath(os.path.dirname(__file__))
-        test_easyconfigs = os.path.join(testdir, 'easyconfigs', 'test_ecs')
-        ec = process_easyconfig(os.path.join(test_easyconfigs, 't', 'toy', 'toy-0.0.eb'))[0]['ec']
+        ec = process_easyconfig(TOY_EC)[0]['ec']
         orig_sources = ec['sources'][:]
 
         toy_patches = [
@@ -2700,8 +2675,7 @@ def test_extensions_sanity_check(self):
         """Test sanity check aspect of extensions."""
         init_config(build_options={'silent': True})
 
-        test_ecs_dir = os.path.join(os.path.abspath(os.path.dirname(__file__)), 'easyconfigs', 'test_ecs')
-        toy_ec_fn = os.path.join(test_ecs_dir, 't', 'toy', 'toy-0.0-gompi-2018a-test.eb')
+        toy_ec_fn = os.path.join(TEST_ECS_DIR, 't', 'toy', 'toy-0.0-gompi-2018a-test.eb')
 
         # Do this before loading the easyblock to check the non-translated output below
         os.environ['LC_ALL'] = 'C'
@@ -2739,29 +2713,25 @@ def test_extensions_sanity_check(self):
 
     def test_parallel(self):
         """Test defining of parallelism."""
-        topdir = os.path.abspath(os.path.dirname(__file__))
-        toy_ec = os.path.join(topdir, 'easyconfigs', 'test_ecs', 't', 'toy', 'toy-0.0.eb')
-        toytxt = read_file(toy_ec)
-
         handle, toy_ec1 = tempfile.mkstemp(prefix='easyblock_test_file_', suffix='.eb')
         os.close(handle)
-        write_file(toy_ec1, toytxt + "\nparallel = 13")
+        write_file(toy_ec1, TOY_EC_TXT + "\nparallel = 13")
 
         handle, toy_ec2 = tempfile.mkstemp(prefix='easyblock_test_file_', suffix='.eb')
         os.close(handle)
-        write_file(toy_ec2, toytxt + "\nparallel = 12\nmaxparallel = 6")
+        write_file(toy_ec2, TOY_EC_TXT + "\nparallel = 12\nmaxparallel = 6")
 
         handle, toy_ec3 = tempfile.mkstemp(prefix='easyblock_test_file_', suffix='.eb')
         os.close(handle)
-        write_file(toy_ec3, toytxt + "\nparallel = False")
+        write_file(toy_ec3, TOY_EC_TXT + "\nparallel = False")
 
         handle, toy_ec4 = tempfile.mkstemp(prefix='easyblock_test_file_', suffix='.eb')
         os.close(handle)
-        write_file(toy_ec4, toytxt + "\nmaxparallel = 6")
+        write_file(toy_ec4, TOY_EC_TXT + "\nmaxparallel = 6")
 
         handle, toy_ec5 = tempfile.mkstemp(prefix='easyblock_test_file_', suffix='.eb')
         os.close(handle)
-        write_file(toy_ec5, toytxt + "\nmaxparallel = False")
+        write_file(toy_ec5, TOY_EC_TXT + "\nmaxparallel = False")
 
         # default: parallelism is derived from # available cores + ulimit
         # Note that --max-parallel has a default of 16, so we need a lower auto_parallel value here
@@ -2787,7 +2757,7 @@ def test_parallel(self):
 
         for txt, expected in test_cases.items():
             with self.subTest(ec_params=txt):
-                self.contents = toytxt + '\n' + txt
+                self.contents = TOY_EC_TXT + '\n' + txt
                 self.writeEC()
                 with self.temporarily_allow_deprecated_behaviour(), self.mocked_stdout_stderr():
                     test_eb = EasyBlock(EasyConfig(self.eb_file))
@@ -2823,7 +2793,7 @@ def test_parallel(self):
 
         for txt, expected in test_cases.items():
             with self.subTest(ec_params=txt):
-                self.contents = toytxt + '\n' + txt
+                self.contents = TOY_EC_TXT + '\n' + txt
                 self.writeEC()
                 with self.temporarily_allow_deprecated_behaviour(), self.mocked_stdout_stderr():
                     test_eb = EasyBlock(EasyConfig(self.eb_file))
@@ -2860,7 +2830,7 @@ def test_parallel(self):
 
         for txt, expected in test_cases.items():
             with self.subTest(ec_params=txt):
-                self.contents = toytxt + '\n' + txt
+                self.contents = TOY_EC_TXT + '\n' + txt
                 self.writeEC()
                 with self.temporarily_allow_deprecated_behaviour(), self.mocked_stdout_stderr():
                     test_eb = EasyBlock(EasyConfig(self.eb_file))
@@ -2878,7 +2848,7 @@ def test_parallel(self):
 
         for txt, expected in test_cases.items():
             with self.subTest(ec_params=txt):
-                self.contents = toytxt + '\n' + txt
+                self.contents = TOY_EC_TXT + '\n' + txt
                 self.writeEC()
                 with self.temporarily_allow_deprecated_behaviour(), self.mocked_stdout_stderr():
                     test_eb = EasyBlock(EasyConfig(self.eb_file))
@@ -2888,7 +2858,7 @@ def test_parallel(self):
                     self.assertEqual(test_eb.cfg['parallel'], expected)
 
         # Template updated correctly
-        self.contents = toytxt + '\nmaxparallel=2'
+        self.contents = TOY_EC_TXT + '\nmaxparallel=2'
         self.writeEC()
         test_eb = EasyBlock(EasyConfig(self.eb_file))
         test_eb.post_init()
@@ -2906,7 +2876,7 @@ def test_parallel(self):
         self.assertEqual(test_eb.cfg['buildopts'], '-j 1')
 
         # Legacy behavior. To be removed after deprecation of the parallel EC parameter
-        self.contents = toytxt + '\nmaxparallel=99'
+        self.contents = TOY_EC_TXT + '\nmaxparallel=99'
         self.writeEC()
         with self.temporarily_allow_deprecated_behaviour(), self.mocked_stdout_stderr():
             test_eb = EasyBlock(EasyConfig(self.eb_file))
@@ -2926,10 +2896,6 @@ def test_parallel(self):
 
     def test_keepsymlinks(self):
         """Test keepsymlinks parameter (default: True)."""
-        topdir = os.path.abspath(os.path.dirname(__file__))
-        toy_ec = os.path.join(topdir, 'easyconfigs', 'test_ecs', 't', 'toy', 'toy-0.0.eb')
-        toytxt = read_file(toy_ec)
-
         test_cases = {
             '': True,
             'keepsymlinks = False': False,
@@ -2938,7 +2904,7 @@ def test_keepsymlinks(self):
 
         for txt, expected in test_cases.items():
             with self.subTest(ec_params=txt):
-                self.contents = toytxt + '\n' + txt
+                self.contents = TOY_EC_TXT + '\n' + txt
                 self.writeEC()
                 test_eb = EasyBlock(EasyConfig(self.eb_file))
                 test_eb.post_init()
@@ -2946,8 +2912,7 @@ def test_keepsymlinks(self):
 
     def test_guess_start_dir(self):
         """Test guessing the start dir."""
-        test_easyconfigs = os.path.join(os.path.abspath(os.path.dirname(__file__)), 'easyconfigs', 'test_ecs')
-        ec = process_easyconfig(os.path.join(test_easyconfigs, 't', 'toy', 'toy-0.0.eb'))[0]
+        ec = process_easyconfig(TOY_EC)[0]
 
         cwd = os.getcwd()
         self.assertExists(cwd)
@@ -2984,8 +2949,7 @@ def check_start_dir(expected_start_dir):
 
     def test_extension_set_start_dir(self):
         """Test start dir with extensions."""
-        test_easyconfigs = os.path.join(os.path.abspath(os.path.dirname(__file__)), 'easyconfigs', 'test_ecs')
-        ec = process_easyconfig(os.path.join(test_easyconfigs, 't', 'toy', 'toy-0.0.eb'))[0]
+        ec = process_easyconfig(TOY_EC)[0]
 
         cwd = os.getcwd()
         self.assertExists(cwd)
@@ -3090,8 +3054,7 @@ def check_ext_start_dir(expected_start_dir, unpack_src=True, parent_startdir=Non
 
     def test_extension_patch_step(self):
         """Test start dir with extensions."""
-        test_easyconfigs = os.path.join(os.path.abspath(os.path.dirname(__file__)), 'easyconfigs', 'test_ecs')
-        ec = process_easyconfig(os.path.join(test_easyconfigs, 't', 'toy', 'toy-0.0.eb'))[0]['ec']
+        ec = process_easyconfig(TOY_EC)[0]['ec']
 
         cwd = os.getcwd()
         self.assertExists(cwd)
@@ -3152,8 +3115,7 @@ def run_extension_step():
 
     def test_prepare_step(self):
         """Test prepare step (setting up build environment)."""
-        test_easyconfigs = os.path.join(os.path.abspath(os.path.dirname(__file__)), 'easyconfigs', 'test_ecs')
-        ec = process_easyconfig(os.path.join(test_easyconfigs, 't', 'toy', 'toy-0.0.eb'))[0]
+        ec = process_easyconfig(TOY_EC)[0]
 
         mkdir(os.path.join(self.test_buildpath, 'toy', '0.0', 'system-system'), parents=True)
         eb = EasyBlock(ec['ec'])
@@ -3181,8 +3143,7 @@ def test_prepare_step_load_tc_deps_modules(self):
 
         init_config(build_options={'robot_path': os.environ['EASYBUILD_ROBOT_PATHS']})
 
-        test_easyconfigs = os.path.join(os.path.abspath(os.path.dirname(__file__)), 'easyconfigs', 'test_ecs')
-        ompi_ec_file = os.path.join(test_easyconfigs, 'o', 'OpenMPI', 'OpenMPI-2.1.2-GCC-6.4.0-2.28.eb')
+        ompi_ec_file = os.path.join(TEST_ECS_DIR, 'o', 'OpenMPI', 'OpenMPI-2.1.2-GCC-6.4.0-2.28.eb')
         ec = process_easyconfig(ompi_ec_file, validate=False)[0]
 
         mkdir(os.path.join(self.test_buildpath, 'OpenMPI', '2.1.2', 'GCC-6.4.0-2.28'), parents=True)
@@ -3215,10 +3176,9 @@ def test_prepare_step_hmns(self):
         """
         Check whether loading of already existing dependencies during prepare step works when HierarchicalMNS is used.
         """
-        test_ecs = os.path.join(os.path.dirname(os.path.abspath(__file__)), 'easyconfigs', 'test_ecs')
 
         os.environ['EASYBUILD_MODULE_NAMING_SCHEME'] = 'HierarchicalMNS'
-        init_config(build_options={'robot_path': [test_ecs]})
+        init_config(build_options={'robot_path': [TEST_ECS_DIR]})
 
         # set up hierarchical modules, but reset $MODULEPATH to empty
         # the expectation is that EasyBuild set's up the $MODULEPATH such that pre-installed dependencies can be loaded
@@ -3230,11 +3190,9 @@ def test_prepare_step_hmns(self):
         self.reset_modulepath([])
         self.assertEqual(os.environ.get('MODULEPATH'), None)
 
-        toy_ec = os.path.join(test_ecs, 't', 'toy', 'toy-0.0.eb')
-
         test_ec = os.path.join(self.test_prefix, 'test.eb')
         regex = re.compile('^toolchain = .*', re.M)
-        test_ectxt = regex.sub("toolchain = SYSTEM", read_file(toy_ec))
+        test_ectxt = regex.sub("toolchain = SYSTEM", TOY_EC_TXT)
         test_ectxt += "\ndependencies = [('GCC', '6.4.0', '-2.28')]"
         write_file(test_ec, test_ectxt)
 
@@ -3254,9 +3212,7 @@ def test_prepare_step_cuda_cache(self):
 
         init_config(build_options={'cuda_cache_maxsize': None})  # Automatic mode
 
-        test_ecs = os.path.join(os.path.abspath(os.path.dirname(__file__)), 'easyconfigs', 'test_ecs')
-        toy_ec = os.path.join(test_ecs, 't', 'toy', 'toy-0.0.eb')
-        ec = process_easyconfig(toy_ec)[0]
+        ec = process_easyconfig(TOY_EC)[0]
         eb = EasyBlock(ec['ec'])
         eb.silent = True
         with self.mocked_stdout_stderr():
@@ -3270,7 +3226,7 @@ def test_prepare_step_cuda_cache(self):
         # Now with CUDA
         test_ec = os.path.join(self.test_prefix, 'test.eb')
         test_ectxt = re.sub('^toolchain = .*', "toolchain = {'name': 'gcccuda', 'version': '2018a'}",
-                            read_file(toy_ec), flags=re.M)
+                            TOY_EC_TXT, flags=re.M)
         write_file(test_ec, test_ectxt)
         ec = process_easyconfig(test_ec)[0]
         eb = EasyBlock(ec['ec'])
@@ -3310,8 +3266,7 @@ def test_prepare_step_cuda_cache(self):
 
     def test_checksum_step(self):
         """Test checksum step"""
-        testdir = os.path.abspath(os.path.dirname(__file__))
-        toy_ec = os.path.join(testdir, 'easyconfigs', 'test_ecs', 't', 'toy', 'toy-0.0-gompi-2018a-test.eb')
+        toy_ec = os.path.join(TEST_ECS_DIR, 't', 'toy', 'toy-0.0-gompi-2018a-test.eb')
 
         ec = process_easyconfig(toy_ec)[0]
         eb = get_easyblock_instance(ec)
@@ -3362,7 +3317,7 @@ def test_checksum_step(self):
 
         # create test easyconfig from which checksums have been stripped
         test_ec = os.path.join(self.test_prefix, 'test.eb')
-        ectxt = read_file(toy_ec)
+        ectxt = TOY_EC_TXT
         regex = re.compile(r"'?checksums'?\s*[=:]\s*\[[^]]+\].*", re.M)
         ectxt = regex.sub('', ectxt)
         write_file(test_ec, ectxt)
@@ -3380,7 +3335,7 @@ def test_checksum_step(self):
                 self.fail("Incorrect extension type: %s" % type(ext))
 
         # put checksums.json in place next to easyconfig file being used for the tests
-        toy_checksums_json = os.path.join(testdir, 'easyconfigs', 'test_ecs', 't', 'toy', 'checksums.json')
+        toy_checksums_json = os.path.join(TEST_ECS_DIR, 't', 'toy', 'checksums.json')
         copy_file(toy_checksums_json, os.path.join(self.test_prefix, 'checksums.json'))
 
         # test without checksums, it should work since they are in checksums.json
@@ -3436,8 +3391,7 @@ def test_checksum_step(self):
 
     def test_check_checksums(self):
         """Test for check_checksums_for and check_checksums methods."""
-        testdir = os.path.abspath(os.path.dirname(__file__))
-        toy_ec = os.path.join(testdir, 'easyconfigs', 'test_ecs', 't', 'toy', 'toy-0.0-gompi-2018a-test.eb')
+        toy_ec = os.path.join(TEST_ECS_DIR, 't', 'toy', 'toy-0.0-gompi-2018a-test.eb')
 
         ec = process_easyconfig(toy_ec)[0]
         eb = get_easyblock_instance(ec)
@@ -3465,9 +3419,7 @@ def run_checks():
             self.assertIn(ext_error_tmpl % ext, line)
 
         # check whether tuple of alternative SHA256 checksums is correctly recognized
-        toy_ec = os.path.join(testdir, 'easyconfigs', 'test_ecs', 't', 'toy', 'toy-0.0.eb')
-
-        ec = process_easyconfig(toy_ec)[0]
+        ec = process_easyconfig(TOY_EC)[0]
         eb = get_easyblock_instance(ec)
 
         # single SHA256 checksum per source/patch: OK
@@ -3545,7 +3497,7 @@ def run_checks():
 
         # no checksums in easyconfig, then picked up from checksums.json next to easyconfig file
         test_ec = os.path.join(self.test_prefix, 'test.eb')
-        copy_file(toy_ec, test_ec)
+        copy_file(TOY_EC, test_ec)
         ec = process_easyconfig(test_ec)[0]
         eb = get_easyblock_instance(ec)
         eb.cfg['checksums'] = []
@@ -3556,7 +3508,7 @@ def run_checks():
         self.assertEqual(res[0], expected)
 
         # all is fine if checksums.json is also copied
-        copy_file(os.path.join(os.path.dirname(toy_ec), 'checksums.json'), self.test_prefix)
+        copy_file(os.path.join(os.path.dirname(TOY_EC), 'checksums.json'), self.test_prefix)
         eb.json_checksums = None
         self.assertEqual(eb.check_checksums(), [])
 
@@ -3763,9 +3715,7 @@ def test_arch_specific_sanity_check(self):
     def test_sanity_check_paths_verification(self):
         """Test verification of sanity_check_paths w.r.t. keys & values."""
 
-        testdir = os.path.abspath(os.path.dirname(__file__))
-        toy_ec = os.path.join(testdir, 'easyconfigs', 'test_ecs', 't', 'toy', 'toy-0.0.eb')
-        eb = EasyBlock(EasyConfig(toy_ec))
+        eb = EasyBlock(EasyConfig(TOY_EC))
         eb.dry_run = True
 
         error_pattern = r"Incorrect format for sanity_check_paths: "
@@ -3870,9 +3820,6 @@ def test_report_current_step_method(self):
         """
         Check whether name of methods in installation steps are correctly reported
         """
-        testdir = os.path.abspath(os.path.dirname(__file__))
-        toy_ec = os.path.join(testdir, 'easyconfigs', 'test_ecs', 't', 'toy', 'toy-0.0.eb')
-
         class MockEasyBlock(EasyBlock):
             # Mock methods
             def build_step(self):
@@ -3885,7 +3832,7 @@ def test_step(self):
             def custom_step(self):
                 self.log.info('Ran custom')
 
-        eb = MockEasyBlock(EasyConfig(toy_ec))
+        eb = MockEasyBlock(EasyConfig(TOY_EC))
         # Part of run_all_steps
         steps = [step for step in eb.get_steps() if step[0] == BUILD_STEP]
         for step_name, _, step_methods, _ in steps:
@@ -3911,10 +3858,8 @@ def test_exts_deps_build_env(self):
         Test whether dependencies are loaded in build environment for extensions.
         """
         # to verify fix made in https://github.com/easybuilders/easybuild-framework/pull/5023
-        testdir = os.path.abspath(os.path.dirname(__file__))
-        toy_ec = os.path.join(testdir, 'easyconfigs', 'test_ecs', 't', 'toy', 'toy-0.0.eb')
         test_ec = os.path.join(self.test_prefix, 'test.eb')
-        test_ec_txt = read_file(toy_ec)
+        test_ec_txt = TOY_EC_TXT
         test_ec_txt += textwrap.dedent("""
             toolchain = {'name': 'gompi', 'version': '2023a'}
 
@@ -3946,7 +3891,7 @@ def test_exts_deps_build_env(self):
         test_mods = os.path.join(self.test_prefix, 'modules')
 
         for name, mod_fn in mod_files:
-            mod_fp = os.path.join(testdir, 'modules', name, mod_fn)
+            mod_fp = os.path.join(TEST_MODULES_DIR, name, mod_fn)
 
             header_fn = 'zlib.h' if name == 'zlib' else 'mpi.h'
 
@@ -4006,7 +3951,7 @@ def test_exts_deps_build_env(self):
                 self.assertRegex(log_txt, regex)
 
         # verify fix made in https://github.com/easybuilders/easybuild-framework/pull/5048
-        test_ec_txt = read_file(toy_ec)
+        test_ec_txt = TOY_EC_TXT
         test_ec_txt += textwrap.dedent("""
             toolchain = {'name': 'GCCcore', 'version': '12.3.0'}
         """)
diff --git a/test/framework/easyconfig.py b/test/framework/easyconfig.py
index 96b7f47307..76fcf96f7d 100644
--- a/test/framework/easyconfig.py
+++ b/test/framework/easyconfig.py
@@ -40,6 +40,7 @@
 import textwrap
 from collections import OrderedDict
 from easybuild.tools import LooseVersion
+from test.framework import TEST_DIR, TEST_ECS_DIR, TOY_EC, TOY_EC_TXT
 from test.framework.utilities import EnhancedTestCase, TestLoaderFiltered, init_config
 from unittest import TextTestRunner
 
@@ -460,10 +461,9 @@ def test_extra_options(self):
 
     def test_exts_list(self):
         """Test handling of list of extensions."""
-        topdir = os.path.dirname(os.path.abspath(__file__))
         os.environ['EASYBUILD_SOURCEPATH'] = ':'.join([
-            os.path.join(topdir, 'easyconfigs', 'test_ecs', 'g', 'gzip'),
-            os.path.join(topdir, 'easyconfigs', 'test_ecs', 't', 'toy'),
+            os.path.join(TEST_ECS_DIR, 'g', 'gzip'),
+            os.path.join(TEST_ECS_DIR, 't', 'toy'),
         ])
         init_config()
         self.contents = textwrap.dedent("""
@@ -850,11 +850,9 @@ def test_alt_easyconfig_paths(self):
 
     def test_tweak_multiple_tcs(self):
         """Test that tweaking variables of ECs from multiple toolchains works"""
-        test_easyconfigs = os.path.join(os.path.dirname(os.path.abspath(__file__)), 'easyconfigs', 'test_ecs')
-
         # Create directories to store the tweaked easyconfigs
         tweaked_ecs_paths, pr_path = alt_easyconfig_paths(self.test_prefix, tweaked_ecs=True)
-        robot_path = det_robot_path([test_easyconfigs], tweaked_ecs_paths, pr_path, auto_robot=True)
+        robot_path = det_robot_path([TEST_ECS_DIR], tweaked_ecs_paths, pr_path, auto_robot=True)
 
         init_config(build_options={
             'valid_module_classes': module_classes(),
@@ -863,8 +861,8 @@ def test_tweak_multiple_tcs(self):
         })
 
         # Allow tweaking of non-toolchain values for multiple ECs of different toolchains
-        untweaked_openmpi_1 = os.path.join(test_easyconfigs, 'o', 'OpenMPI', 'OpenMPI-2.1.2-GCC-4.6.4.eb')
-        untweaked_openmpi_2 = os.path.join(test_easyconfigs, 'o', 'OpenMPI', 'OpenMPI-3.1.1-GCC-7.3.0-2.30.eb')
+        untweaked_openmpi_1 = os.path.join(TEST_ECS_DIR, 'o', 'OpenMPI', 'OpenMPI-2.1.2-GCC-4.6.4.eb')
+        untweaked_openmpi_2 = os.path.join(TEST_ECS_DIR, 'o', 'OpenMPI', 'OpenMPI-3.1.1-GCC-7.3.0-2.30.eb')
         easyconfigs, _ = parse_easyconfigs([(untweaked_openmpi_1, False), (untweaked_openmpi_2, False)])
         tweak_specs = {'moduleclass': 'debugger'}
         easyconfigs, tweak_map = tweak(easyconfigs, tweak_specs, self.modtool, targetdirs=tweaked_ecs_paths,
@@ -1327,8 +1325,7 @@ def test_templating_constants(self):
         self.assertEqual(ec['source_urls'][3], 'https://github.com/pi/pi/releases/download/v3.04')
 
         # test use of %(mpi_cmd_prefix)s template
-        test_ecs_dir = os.path.join(os.path.abspath(os.path.dirname(__file__)), 'easyconfigs', 'test_ecs')
-        gompi_ec = os.path.join(test_ecs_dir, 't', 'toy', 'toy-0.0-gompi-2018a.eb')
+        gompi_ec = os.path.join(TEST_ECS_DIR, 't', 'toy', 'toy-0.0-gompi-2018a.eb')
         test_ec = os.path.join(self.test_prefix, 'test.eb')
         write_file(test_ec, read_file(gompi_ec) + "\nsanity_check_commands = ['%(mpi_cmd_prefix)s toy']")
 
@@ -1509,8 +1506,7 @@ def test_templating_doc(self):
     def test_start_dir_template(self):
         """Test the %(startdir)s template"""
 
-        test_easyconfigs = os.path.join(os.path.abspath(os.path.dirname(__file__)), 'easyconfigs', 'test_ecs')
-        ec = process_easyconfig(os.path.join(test_easyconfigs, 't', 'toy', 'toy-0.0.eb'))[0]
+        ec = process_easyconfig(TOY_EC)[0]
 
         self.contents = textwrap.dedent("""
             name = 'toy'
@@ -1554,11 +1550,9 @@ def test_start_dir_template(self):
 
     def test_rpath_template(self):
         """Test the %(rpath)s template"""
-        test_easyconfigs = os.path.join(os.path.abspath(os.path.dirname(__file__)), 'easyconfigs', 'test_ecs')
-        toy_ec = os.path.join(test_easyconfigs, 't', 'toy', 'toy-0.0.eb')
 
         test_ec = os.path.join(self.test_prefix, 'test.eb')
-        test_ec_txt = read_file(toy_ec)
+        test_ec_txt = TOY_EC_TXT
         test_ec_txt += "configopts = '--with-rpath=%(rpath_enabled)s'"
         write_file(test_ec, test_ec_txt)
 
@@ -1579,11 +1573,8 @@ def test_rpath_template(self):
     def test_sysroot_template(self):
         """Test the %(sysroot)s template"""
 
-        test_easyconfigs = os.path.join(os.path.abspath(os.path.dirname(__file__)), 'easyconfigs', 'test_ecs')
-        toy_ec = os.path.join(test_easyconfigs, 't', 'toy', 'toy-0.0.eb')
-
         test_ec = os.path.join(self.test_prefix, 'test.eb')
-        test_ec_txt = read_file(toy_ec)
+        test_ec_txt = TOY_EC_TXT
         test_ec_txt += '\nconfigopts = "--some-opt=%(sysroot)s/"'
         test_ec_txt += '\nbuildopts = "--some-opt=%(sysroot)s/"'
         test_ec_txt += '\ninstallopts = "--some-opt=%(sysroot)s/"'
@@ -1607,11 +1598,8 @@ def test_sysroot_template(self):
     def test_software_commit_template(self):
         """Test the %(software_commit)s template"""
 
-        test_easyconfigs = os.path.join(os.path.abspath(os.path.dirname(__file__)), 'easyconfigs', 'test_ecs')
-        toy_ec = os.path.join(test_easyconfigs, 't', 'toy', 'toy-0.0.eb')
-
         test_ec = os.path.join(self.test_prefix, 'test.eb')
-        test_ec_txt = read_file(toy_ec)
+        test_ec_txt = TOY_EC_TXT
         test_ec_txt += '\nconfigopts = "--some-opt=%(software_commit)s"'
         test_ec_txt += '\nbuildopts = "--some-opt=%(software_commit)s"'
         test_ec_txt += '\ninstallopts = "--some-opt=%(software_commit)s"'
@@ -1794,7 +1782,7 @@ def test_format_equivalence_basic(self):
         orig_experimental = easybuild.tools.build_log.EXPERIMENTAL
         easybuild.tools.build_log.EXPERIMENTAL = True
 
-        easyconfigs_path = os.path.join(os.path.dirname(__file__), 'easyconfigs')
+        easyconfigs_path = TEST_DIR / 'easyconfigs'
 
         # set max diff high enough to make sure the difference is shown in case of problems
         self.maxDiff = 10000
@@ -1825,19 +1813,16 @@ def test_format_equivalence_basic(self):
 
     def test_fetch_parameters_from_easyconfig(self):
         """Test fetch_parameters_from_easyconfig function."""
-        test_ecs_dir = os.path.join(os.path.abspath(os.path.dirname(__file__)), 'easyconfigs', 'test_ecs')
-        toy_ec_file = os.path.join(test_ecs_dir, 't', 'toy', 'toy-0.0.eb')
-
         for ec_file, correct_name, correct_easyblock in [
-            (toy_ec_file, 'toy', None),
-            (os.path.join(test_ecs_dir, 'f', 'foss', 'foss-2018a.eb'), 'foss', 'Toolchain'),
+            (TOY_EC, 'toy', None),
+            (os.path.join(TEST_ECS_DIR, 'f', 'foss', 'foss-2018a.eb'), 'foss', 'Toolchain'),
         ]:
             name, easyblock = fetch_parameters_from_easyconfig(read_file(ec_file), ['name', 'easyblock'])
             self.assertEqual(name, correct_name)
             self.assertEqual(easyblock, correct_easyblock)
 
         expected = "Toy C program, 100% toy."
-        self.assertEqual(fetch_parameters_from_easyconfig(read_file(toy_ec_file), ['description'])[0], expected)
+        self.assertEqual(fetch_parameters_from_easyconfig(TOY_EC_TXT, ['description'])[0], expected)
 
         res = fetch_parameters_from_easyconfig("easyblock = 'ConfigureMake'  # test comment", ['easyblock'])
         self.assertEqual(res, ['ConfigureMake'])
@@ -1903,32 +1888,30 @@ def test_easyconfig_paths(self):
 
     def test_toolchain_inspection(self):
         """Test whether available toolchain inspection functionality is working."""
-        test_ecs = os.path.join(os.path.dirname(os.path.abspath(__file__)), 'easyconfigs', 'test_ecs')
         build_options = {
-            'robot_path': [test_ecs],
+            'robot_path': [TEST_ECS_DIR],
             'valid_module_classes': module_classes(),
         }
         init_config(build_options=build_options)
 
-        ec = EasyConfig(os.path.join(test_ecs, 'g', 'gzip', 'gzip-1.5-foss-2018a.eb'))
+        ec = EasyConfig(os.path.join(TEST_ECS_DIR, 'g', 'gzip', 'gzip-1.5-foss-2018a.eb'))
         tc_compilers = ['/'.join([x['name'], x['version']]) for x in det_toolchain_compilers(ec)]
         self.assertEqual(tc_compilers, ['GCC/6.4.0-2.28'])
         self.assertEqual(det_toolchain_mpi(ec)['name'], 'OpenMPI')
 
-        ec = EasyConfig(os.path.join(test_ecs, 'h', 'hwloc', 'hwloc-1.11.8-GCC-6.4.0-2.28.eb'))
+        ec = EasyConfig(os.path.join(TEST_ECS_DIR, 'h', 'hwloc', 'hwloc-1.11.8-GCC-6.4.0-2.28.eb'))
         tc_comps = det_toolchain_compilers(ec)
         expected = ['GCC/6.4.0-2.28']
         self.assertEqual(['/'.join([x['name'], x['version'] + x['versionsuffix']]) for x in tc_comps], expected)
         self.assertEqual(det_toolchain_mpi(ec), None)
 
-        ec = EasyConfig(os.path.join(test_ecs, 't', 'toy', 'toy-0.0.eb'))
+        ec = EasyConfig(TOY_EC)
         self.assertEqual(det_toolchain_compilers(ec), None)
         self.assertEqual(det_toolchain_mpi(ec), None)
 
     def test_filter_deps(self):
         """Test filtered dependencies."""
-        test_ecs_dir = os.path.join(os.path.abspath(os.path.dirname(__file__)), 'easyconfigs', 'test_ecs')
-        ec_file = os.path.join(test_ecs_dir, 'f', 'foss', 'foss-2018a.eb')
+        ec_file = os.path.join(TEST_ECS_DIR, 'f', 'foss', 'foss-2018a.eb')
         ec = EasyConfig(ec_file)
         self.assertEqual(ec.dependency_names(), {'FFTW', 'GCC', 'OpenBLAS', 'OpenMPI', 'ScaLAPACK'})
 
@@ -1953,13 +1936,13 @@ def test_filter_deps(self):
         build_options = {
             'external_modules_metadata': ConfigObj(),
             'minimal_toolchains': True,
-            'robot_path': [test_ecs_dir],
+            'robot_path': [TEST_ECS_DIR],
             'valid_module_classes': module_classes(),
         }
         init_config(build_options=build_options)
 
         ec_file = os.path.join(self.test_prefix, 'test.eb')
-        shutil.copy2(os.path.join(test_ecs_dir, 'o', 'OpenMPI', 'OpenMPI-2.1.2-GCC-6.4.0-2.28.eb'), ec_file)
+        shutil.copy2(os.path.join(TEST_ECS_DIR, 'o', 'OpenMPI', 'OpenMPI-2.1.2-GCC-6.4.0-2.28.eb'), ec_file)
 
         ec_txt = read_file(ec_file)
         ec_txt = ec_txt.replace('hwloc', 'deptobefiltered')
@@ -1976,8 +1959,7 @@ def test_filter_deps(self):
 
     def test_replaced_easyconfig_parameters(self):
         """Test handling of replaced easyconfig parameters."""
-        test_ecs_dir = os.path.join(os.path.abspath(os.path.dirname(__file__)), 'easyconfigs', 'test_ecs')
-        ec = EasyConfig(os.path.join(test_ecs_dir, 't', 'toy', 'toy-0.0.eb'))
+        ec = EasyConfig(TOY_EC)
         replaced_parameters = {
             'license': ('license_file', '2.0'),
             'makeopts': ('buildopts', '2.0'),
@@ -1996,10 +1978,7 @@ def foo(key):
     def test_alternative_easyconfig_parameters(self):
         """Test handling of alternative easyconfig parameters."""
 
-        test_ecs_dir = os.path.join(os.path.abspath(os.path.dirname(__file__)), 'easyconfigs', 'test_ecs')
-        toy_ec = os.path.join(test_ecs_dir, 't', 'toy', 'toy-0.0.eb')
-
-        test_ec_txt = read_file(toy_ec)
+        test_ec_txt = TOY_EC_TXT
         test_ec_txt = test_ec_txt.replace('postinstallcmds', 'post_install_cmds')
         test_ec_txt = test_ec_txt.replace('moduleclass', 'env_mod_class')
 
@@ -2045,8 +2024,7 @@ def test_deprecated_easyconfig_parameters(self):
         self.allow_deprecated_behaviour()
         init_config()
 
-        test_ecs_dir = os.path.join(os.path.abspath(os.path.dirname(__file__)), 'easyconfigs', 'test_ecs')
-        ec = EasyConfig(os.path.join(test_ecs_dir, 't', 'toy', 'toy-0.0.eb'))
+        ec = EasyConfig(TOY_EC)
 
         easyconfig.easyconfig.DEPRECATED_EASYCONFIG_PARAMETERS = {
             'foobar': ('barfoo', '0.0'),  # deprecated since forever
@@ -2097,9 +2075,8 @@ def foo(key):
         self.assertEqual(ec_params, expected)
 
         # try parsing an easyconfig file that defines a deprecated easyconfig parameter
-        toy_ec = os.path.join(test_ecs_dir, 't', 'toy', 'toy-0.0.eb')
         test_ec = os.path.join(self.test_prefix, 'test.eb')
-        write_file(test_ec, read_file(toy_ec))
+        write_file(test_ec, TOY_EC_TXT)
         write_file(test_ec, "\nfoobarbarfoo = 'foobarbarfoo'", append=True)
 
         with self.mocked_stdout_stderr():
@@ -2130,8 +2107,7 @@ def set_ec_key(key):
 
     def test_external_dependencies(self):
         """Test specifying external (build) dependencies."""
-        topdir = os.path.dirname(os.path.abspath(__file__))
-        ectxt = read_file(os.path.join(topdir, 'easyconfigs', 'test_ecs', 't', 'toy', 'toy-0.0-deps.eb'))
+        ectxt = read_file(os.path.join(TEST_ECS_DIR, 't', 'toy', 'toy-0.0-deps.eb'))
         toy_ec = os.path.join(self.test_prefix, 'toy-0.0-external-deps.eb')
 
         # just specify some of the test modules we ship, doesn't matter where they come from
@@ -2385,10 +2361,6 @@ def test_external_dependencies(self):
     def test_external_dependencies_templates(self):
         """Test use of templates for dependencies marked as external modules."""
 
-        topdir = os.path.dirname(os.path.abspath(__file__))
-        toy_ec = os.path.join(topdir, 'easyconfigs', 'test_ecs', 't', 'toy', 'toy-0.0.eb')
-        toy_ectxt = read_file(toy_ec)
-
         extra_ectxt = '\n'.join([
             "versionsuffix = '-Python-%(pyver)s-Perl-%(perlshortver)s'",
             '',
@@ -2398,7 +2370,7 @@ def test_external_dependencies_templates(self):
             "]",
         ])
         test_ec = os.path.join(self.test_prefix, 'test.eb')
-        write_file(test_ec, toy_ectxt + '\n' + extra_ectxt)
+        write_file(test_ec, TOY_EC_TXT + '\n' + extra_ectxt)
 
         # put metadata in place so templates can be defined
         metadata = os.path.join(self.test_prefix, 'external_modules_metadata.cfg')
@@ -2437,8 +2409,7 @@ def test_external_dependencies_templates(self):
 
     def test_update(self):
         """Test use of update() method for EasyConfig instances."""
-        topdir = os.path.abspath(os.path.dirname(__file__))
-        toy_ebfile = os.path.join(topdir, 'easyconfigs', 'test_ecs', 't', 'toy', 'toy-0.0.eb')
+        toy_ebfile = TOY_EC
         ec = EasyConfig(toy_ebfile)
 
         # for string values: append
@@ -2481,8 +2452,7 @@ def test_update(self):
 
     def test_hide_hidden_deps(self):
         """Test use of --hide-deps on hiddendependencies."""
-        test_dir = os.path.dirname(os.path.abspath(__file__))
-        ec_file = os.path.join(test_dir, 'easyconfigs', 'test_ecs', 'g', 'gzip', 'gzip-1.4-GCC-4.6.3.eb')
+        ec_file = TEST_ECS_DIR / 'g' / 'gzip' / 'gzip-1.4-GCC-4.6.3.eb'
         ec = EasyConfig(ec_file)
         self.assertEqual(ec['hiddendependencies'][0]['full_mod_name'], 'toy/.0.0-deps')
         self.assertEqual(ec['dependencies'][0]['full_mod_name'], 'toy/.0.0-deps')
@@ -2588,10 +2558,9 @@ def subtest_quote_py_str(val):
 
     def test_dump(self):
         """Test EasyConfig's dump() method."""
-        test_ecs_dir = os.path.join(os.path.dirname(os.path.abspath(__file__)), 'easyconfigs', 'test_ecs')
         build_options = {
             'check_osdeps': False,
-            'robot_path': [test_ecs_dir],
+            'robot_path': [TEST_ECS_DIR],
             'valid_module_classes': module_classes(),
         }
         init_config(build_options=build_options)
@@ -2605,7 +2574,7 @@ def test_dump(self):
         for ecfile in ecfiles:
             test_ec = os.path.join(self.test_prefix, 'test.eb')
 
-            ec = EasyConfig(os.path.join(test_ecs_dir, ecfile))
+            ec = EasyConfig(os.path.join(TEST_ECS_DIR, ecfile))
             with ec.disable_templating():
                 ecdict = ec.asdict()
                 ec.dump(test_ec)
@@ -2676,10 +2645,9 @@ def test_dump(self):
 
     def test_toolchain_hierarchy_aware_dump(self):
         """Test that EasyConfig's dump() method is aware of the toolchain hierarchy."""
-        test_ecs_dir = os.path.join(os.path.dirname(os.path.abspath(__file__)), 'easyconfigs', 'test_ecs')
         build_options = {
             'check_osdeps': False,
-            'robot_path': [test_ecs_dir],
+            'robot_path': [TEST_ECS_DIR],
             'valid_module_classes': module_classes(),
         }
         init_config(build_options=build_options)
@@ -3283,16 +3251,15 @@ def test_dep_graph(self):
             print("Skipping test_dep_graph, since graphviz is not available")
             return
 
-        test_easyconfigs = os.path.join(os.path.dirname(os.path.abspath(__file__)), 'easyconfigs', 'test_ecs')
         build_options = {
             'external_modules_metadata': ConfigObj(),
             'valid_module_classes': module_classes(),
-            'robot_path': [test_easyconfigs],
+            'robot_path': [TEST_ECS_DIR],
             'silent': True,
         }
         init_config(build_options=build_options)
 
-        ec_file = os.path.join(test_easyconfigs, 't', 'toy', 'toy-0.0-deps.eb')
+        ec_file = os.path.join(TEST_ECS_DIR, 't', 'toy', 'toy-0.0-deps.eb')
         ec_files = [(ec_file, False)]
         ecs, _ = parse_easyconfigs(ec_files)
 
@@ -3326,20 +3293,16 @@ def test_dep_graph_multi_deps(self):
             print("Skipping test_dep_graph_multi_deps, since graphviz is not available")
             return
 
-        test_easyconfigs = os.path.join(os.path.dirname(os.path.abspath(__file__)), 'easyconfigs', 'test_ecs')
         build_options = {
             'external_modules_metadata': ConfigObj(),
             'valid_module_classes': module_classes(),
-            'robot_path': [test_easyconfigs],
+            'robot_path': [TEST_ECS_DIR],
             'silent': True,
         }
         init_config(build_options=build_options)
 
-        toy_ec = os.path.join(test_easyconfigs, 't', 'toy', 'toy-0.0.eb')
-        toy_ec_txt = read_file(toy_ec)
-
         test_ec = os.path.join(self.test_prefix, 'test.eb')
-        test_ec_txt = toy_ec_txt + "\nmulti_deps = {'GCC': ['4.6.3', '4.8.3', '7.3.0-2.30']}"
+        test_ec_txt = TOY_EC_TXT + "\nmulti_deps = {'GCC': ['4.6.3', '4.8.3', '7.3.0-2.30']}"
         write_file(test_ec, test_ec_txt)
 
         ec_files = [(test_ec, False)]
@@ -3379,15 +3342,14 @@ def test_ActiveMNS_det_full_module_name(self):
         }
 
         init_config(build_options=build_options)
-        topdir = os.path.dirname(os.path.abspath(__file__))
-        ec_file = os.path.join(topdir, 'easyconfigs', 'test_ecs', 't', 'toy', 'toy-0.0-deps.eb')
+        ec_file = TEST_ECS_DIR / 't' / 'toy' / 'toy-0.0-deps.eb'
         ec = EasyConfig(ec_file)
 
         self.assertEqual(ActiveMNS().det_full_module_name(ec), 'toy/0.0-deps')
         self.assertEqual(ActiveMNS().det_full_module_name(ec['dependencies'][0]), 'intel/2018a')
         self.assertEqual(ActiveMNS().det_full_module_name(ec['dependencies'][1]), 'GCC/6.4.0-2.28')
 
-        ec_file = os.path.join(topdir, 'easyconfigs', 'test_ecs', 'g', 'gzip', 'gzip-1.4-GCC-4.6.3.eb')
+        ec_file = os.path.join(TEST_ECS_DIR, 'g', 'gzip', 'gzip-1.4-GCC-4.6.3.eb')
         ec = EasyConfig(ec_file)
         hiddendep = ec['hiddendependencies'][0]
         self.assertEqual(ActiveMNS().det_full_module_name(hiddendep), 'toy/.0.0-deps')
@@ -3395,46 +3357,45 @@ def test_ActiveMNS_det_full_module_name(self):
 
     def test_find_related_easyconfigs(self):
         """Test find_related_easyconfigs function."""
-        test_easyconfigs = os.path.join(os.path.dirname(os.path.abspath(__file__)), 'easyconfigs', 'test_ecs')
-        ec_file = os.path.join(test_easyconfigs, 'g', 'GCC', 'GCC-4.6.3.eb')
+        ec_file = os.path.join(TEST_ECS_DIR, 'g', 'GCC', 'GCC-4.6.3.eb')
         ec = EasyConfig(ec_file)
 
         # exact match: GCC-4.6.3.eb
-        res = [os.path.basename(x) for x in find_related_easyconfigs(test_easyconfigs, ec)]
+        res = [os.path.basename(x) for x in find_related_easyconfigs(TEST_ECS_DIR, ec)]
         self.assertEqual(res, ['GCC-4.6.3.eb'])
 
         # tweak version to 4.6.1, GCC/4.6.x easyconfigs are found as closest match
         ec['version'] = '4.6.1'
-        res = [os.path.basename(x) for x in find_related_easyconfigs(test_easyconfigs, ec)]
+        res = [os.path.basename(x) for x in find_related_easyconfigs(TEST_ECS_DIR, ec)]
         self.assertEqual(res, ['GCC-4.6.4.eb', 'GCC-4.6.3.eb'])
 
         # tweak version to 4.5.0, GCC/4.x easyconfigs are found as closest match
         ec['version'] = '4.5.0'
-        res = [os.path.basename(x) for x in find_related_easyconfigs(test_easyconfigs, ec)]
+        res = [os.path.basename(x) for x in find_related_easyconfigs(TEST_ECS_DIR, ec)]
         expected = ['GCC-4.9.2.eb', 'GCC-4.8.3.eb', 'GCC-4.8.2.eb', 'GCC-4.6.4.eb', 'GCC-4.6.3.eb']
         self.assertEqual(res, expected)
 
-        ec_file = os.path.join(test_easyconfigs, 't', 'toy', 'toy-0.0-deps.eb')
+        ec_file = os.path.join(TEST_ECS_DIR, 't', 'toy', 'toy-0.0-deps.eb')
         ec = EasyConfig(ec_file)
 
         # exact match
-        res = [os.path.basename(x) for x in find_related_easyconfigs(test_easyconfigs, ec)]
+        res = [os.path.basename(x) for x in find_related_easyconfigs(TEST_ECS_DIR, ec)]
         self.assertEqual(res, ['toy-0.0-deps.eb'])
 
         # tweak toolchain name/version and versionsuffix => closest match with same toolchain name is found
         ec['toolchain'] = {'name': 'gompi', 'version': '1.5.16'}
         ec['versionsuffix'] = '-foobar'
-        res = [os.path.basename(x) for x in find_related_easyconfigs(test_easyconfigs, ec)]
+        res = [os.path.basename(x) for x in find_related_easyconfigs(TEST_ECS_DIR, ec)]
         self.assertEqual(res, ['toy-0.0-gompi-2018a.eb', 'toy-0.0-gompi-2018a-test.eb'])
 
         # restore original versionsuffix => matching versionsuffix wins over matching toolchain (name)
         ec['versionsuffix'] = '-deps'
-        res = [os.path.basename(x) for x in find_related_easyconfigs(test_easyconfigs, ec)]
+        res = [os.path.basename(x) for x in find_related_easyconfigs(TEST_ECS_DIR, ec)]
         self.assertEqual(res, ['toy-0.0-deps.eb'])
 
         # no matches for unknown software name
         ec['name'] = 'nosuchsoftware'
-        self.assertEqual(find_related_easyconfigs(test_easyconfigs, ec), [])
+        self.assertEqual(find_related_easyconfigs(TEST_ECS_DIR, ec), [])
 
         # no problem with special characters in software name
         ec['name'] = 'nosuchsoftware++'
@@ -3445,8 +3406,7 @@ def test_find_related_easyconfigs(self):
 
     def test_modaltsoftname(self):
         """Test specifying an alternative name for the software name, to use when determining module name."""
-        topdir = os.path.dirname(os.path.abspath(__file__))
-        ec_file = os.path.join(topdir, 'easyconfigs', 'test_ecs', 't', 'toy', 'toy-0.0-deps.eb')
+        ec_file = TEST_ECS_DIR / 't' / 'toy' / 'toy-0.0-deps.eb'
         ectxt = read_file(ec_file)
         modified_ec_file = os.path.join(self.test_prefix, os.path.basename(ec_file))
         write_file(modified_ec_file, ectxt + "\nmodaltsoftname = 'notreallyatoy'")
@@ -3458,15 +3418,14 @@ def test_modaltsoftname(self):
     def test_software_license(self):
         """Tests related to software_license easyconfig parameter."""
         # default: None
-        topdir = os.path.dirname(os.path.abspath(__file__))
-        ec_file = os.path.join(topdir, 'easyconfigs', 'test_ecs', 't', 'toy', 'toy-0.0.eb')
+        ec_file = TOY_EC
         ec = EasyConfig(ec_file)
         ec.validate_license()
         self.assertEqual(ec['software_license'], None)
         self.assertEqual(ec.software_license, None)
 
         # specified software license gets handled correctly
-        ec_file = os.path.join(topdir, 'easyconfigs', 'test_ecs', 'g', 'gzip', 'gzip-1.4.eb')
+        ec_file = os.path.join(TEST_ECS_DIR, 'g', 'gzip', 'gzip-1.4.eb')
         ec = EasyConfig(ec_file)
         ec.validate_license()
         # constant GPLv3 is resolved as string
@@ -3481,8 +3440,7 @@ def test_software_license(self):
 
     def test_param_value_type_checking(self):
         """Test value tupe checking of easyconfig parameters."""
-        topdir = os.path.dirname(os.path.abspath(__file__))
-        ec_file = os.path.join(topdir, 'easyconfigs', 'test_ecs', 'g', 'gzip', 'gzip-1.4-broken.eb')
+        ec_file = TEST_ECS_DIR / 'g' / 'gzip' / 'gzip-1.4-broken.eb'
         # version parameter has values of wrong type in this broken easyconfig
         error_msg_pattern = "Type checking of easyconfig parameter values failed: .*'version'.*"
         self.assertErrorRegex(EasyBuildError, error_msg_pattern, EasyConfig, ec_file, auto_convert_value_types=False)
@@ -3495,8 +3453,7 @@ def test_copy(self):
         """Test copy method of EasyConfig object."""
         init_config(build_options={'silent': True})
 
-        test_easyconfigs = os.path.join(os.path.dirname(os.path.abspath(__file__)), 'easyconfigs', 'test_ecs')
-        ec1 = EasyConfig(os.path.join(test_easyconfigs, 't', 'toy', 'toy-0.0.eb'))
+        ec1 = EasyConfig(TOY_EC)
 
         # inject fake template value, just to check whether they are copied over too
         ec1.template_values['pyshortver'] = '3.7'
@@ -3511,9 +3468,8 @@ def test_copy(self):
 
     def test_eq_hash(self):
         """Test comparing two EasyConfig instances."""
-        test_easyconfigs = os.path.join(os.path.dirname(os.path.abspath(__file__)), 'easyconfigs', 'test_ecs')
-        ec1 = EasyConfig(os.path.join(test_easyconfigs, 't', 'toy', 'toy-0.0.eb'))
-        ec2 = EasyConfig(os.path.join(test_easyconfigs, 't', 'toy', 'toy-0.0.eb'))
+        ec1 = EasyConfig(TOY_EC)
+        ec2 = EasyConfig(TOY_EC)
 
         # different instances, same parsed easyconfig
         self.assertIsNot(ec1, ec2)
@@ -3525,14 +3481,13 @@ def test_eq_hash(self):
         self.assertEqual(hash(ec1), hash(ec2))
 
         # other parsed easyconfig is not equal
-        ec3 = EasyConfig(os.path.join(test_easyconfigs, 'g', 'gzip', 'gzip-1.4.eb'))
+        ec3 = EasyConfig(os.path.join(TEST_ECS_DIR, 'g', 'gzip', 'gzip-1.4.eb'))
         self.assertFalse(ec1 == ec3)
         self.assertTrue(ec1 != ec3)
 
     def test_copy_easyconfigs(self):
         """Test copy_easyconfigs function."""
         init_config(build_options={'silent': True})
-        test_ecs_dir = os.path.join(os.path.dirname(os.path.abspath(__file__)), 'easyconfigs', 'test_ecs')
 
         target_dir = os.path.join(self.test_prefix, 'copied_ecs')
         # easybuild/easyconfigs subdir is expected to exist
@@ -3555,7 +3510,7 @@ def test_copy_easyconfigs(self):
         ecs_to_copy = []
         for (src_ec, target_ec) in test_ecs:
             ecs_to_copy.append(os.path.join(self.test_prefix, target_ec))
-            shutil.copy2(os.path.join(test_ecs_dir, src_ec), ecs_to_copy[-1])
+            shutil.copy2(os.path.join(TEST_ECS_DIR, src_ec), ecs_to_copy[-1])
 
         res = copy_easyconfigs(ecs_to_copy, target_dir)
         self.assertEqual(sorted(res.keys()), ['ecs', 'new', 'new_file_in_existing_folder',
@@ -3575,7 +3530,7 @@ def test_copy_easyconfigs(self):
 
         # create test easyconfig that includes comments & build stats, just like an archived easyconfig
         toy_ec = os.path.join(self.test_prefix, 'toy.eb')
-        copy_file(os.path.join(test_ecs_dir, 't', 'toy', 'toy-0.0.eb'), toy_ec)
+        copy_file(TOY_EC, toy_ec)
         toy_ec_txt = read_file(toy_ec)
         toy_ec_txt = '\n'.join([
             "# Built with EasyBuild version 3.1.2 on 2017-04-25_21-35-15",
@@ -3618,8 +3573,7 @@ def test_copy_easyconfigs(self):
 
     def test_template_constant_dict(self):
         """Test template_constant_dict function."""
-        test_ecs_dir = os.path.join(os.path.dirname(os.path.abspath(__file__)), 'easyconfigs', 'test_ecs')
-        ec = EasyConfig(os.path.join(test_ecs_dir, 'g', 'gzip', 'gzip-1.5-foss-2018a.eb'))
+        ec = EasyConfig(os.path.join(TEST_ECS_DIR, 'g', 'gzip', 'gzip-1.5-foss-2018a.eb'))
 
         arch_regex = re.compile('^[a-z0-9_]+$')
 
@@ -3673,7 +3627,7 @@ def test_template_constant_dict(self):
         res.pop('arch')
         self.assertEqual(res, expected)
 
-        toy_ec = os.path.join(test_ecs_dir, 't', 'toy', 'toy-0.0-deps.eb')
+        toy_ec = os.path.join(TEST_ECS_DIR, 't', 'toy', 'toy-0.0-deps.eb')
         toy_ec_txt = read_file(toy_ec)
 
         # fiddle with version to check version_minor template ('0' should be retained)
@@ -3803,10 +3757,8 @@ def test_template_constant_dict(self):
 
     def test_parse_deps_templates(self):
         """Test whether handling of templates defined by dependencies is done correctly."""
-        test_ecs = os.path.join(os.path.dirname(os.path.abspath(__file__)), 'easyconfigs', 'test_ecs')
-
         pyec = os.path.join(self.test_prefix, 'Python-2.7.10-foss-2018a.eb')
-        shutil.copy2(os.path.join(test_ecs, 'p', 'Python', 'Python-2.7.10-intel-2018a.eb'), pyec)
+        shutil.copy2(os.path.join(TEST_ECS_DIR, 'p', 'Python', 'Python-2.7.10-intel-2018a.eb'), pyec)
         write_file(pyec, "\ntoolchain = {'name': 'foss', 'version': '2018a'}", append=True)
 
         ec_txt = '\n'.join([
@@ -3836,7 +3788,7 @@ def test_parse_deps_templates(self):
 
         build_options = {
             'external_modules_metadata': ConfigObj(),
-            'robot_path': [test_ecs, self.test_prefix],
+            'robot_path': [TEST_ECS_DIR, self.test_prefix],
             'valid_module_classes': module_classes(),
             'validate': False,
         }
@@ -3856,8 +3808,7 @@ def test_parse_deps_templates(self):
 
     def test_hidden_toolchain(self):
         """Test hiding of toolchain via easyconfig parameter."""
-        test_ecs_dir = os.path.join(os.path.dirname(os.path.abspath(__file__)), 'easyconfigs', 'test_ecs')
-        ec_txt = read_file(os.path.join(test_ecs_dir, 'g', 'gzip', 'gzip-1.6-GCC-4.9.2.eb'))
+        ec_txt = read_file(os.path.join(TEST_ECS_DIR, 'g', 'gzip', 'gzip-1.6-GCC-4.9.2.eb'))
 
         new_tc = "toolchain = {'name': 'GCC', 'version': '4.9.2', 'hidden': True}"
         ec_txt = re.sub("toolchain = .*", new_tc, ec_txt, re.M)
@@ -3879,16 +3830,14 @@ def test_categorize_files_by_type(self):
         self.assertEqual({'easyconfigs': [], 'files_to_delete': [], 'patch_files': [], 'py_files': []},
                          categorize_files_by_type([]))
 
-        test_dir = os.path.dirname(os.path.abspath(__file__))
-        test_ecs_dir = os.path.join(test_dir, 'easyconfigs')
         toy_patch_fn = 'toy-0.0_fix-silly-typo-in-printf-statement.patch'
-        toy_patch = os.path.join(os.path.dirname(test_ecs_dir), 'sandbox', 'sources', 'toy', toy_patch_fn)
+        toy_patch = os.path.join(TEST_DIR, 'sandbox', 'sources', 'toy', toy_patch_fn)
 
-        easyblocks_dir = os.path.join(test_dir, 'sandbox', 'easybuild', 'easyblocks')
+        easyblocks_dir = os.path.join(TEST_DIR, 'sandbox', 'easybuild', 'easyblocks')
         configuremake = os.path.join(easyblocks_dir, 'generic', 'configuremake.py')
         toy_easyblock = os.path.join(easyblocks_dir, 't', 'toy.py')
 
-        gzip_ec = os.path.join(test_ecs_dir, 'test_ecs', 'g', 'gzip', 'gzip-1.4.eb')
+        gzip_ec = os.path.join(TEST_ECS_DIR, 'g', 'gzip', 'gzip-1.4.eb')
         paths = [
             'bzip2-1.0.6.eb',
             toy_easyblock,
@@ -4040,8 +3989,7 @@ def test_det_subtoolchain_version(self):
 
     def test_verify_easyconfig_filename(self):
         """Test verify_easyconfig_filename function"""
-        test_ecs_dir = os.path.join(os.path.dirname(os.path.abspath(__file__)), 'easyconfigs', 'test_ecs')
-        toy_ec = os.path.join(test_ecs_dir, 't', 'toy', 'toy-0.0-gompi-2018a-test.eb')
+        toy_ec = os.path.join(TEST_ECS_DIR, 't', 'toy', 'toy-0.0-gompi-2018a-test.eb')
         toy_ec_name = os.path.basename(toy_ec)
         specs = {
             'name': 'toy',
@@ -4094,16 +4042,14 @@ def test_get_paths_for(self):
                 path.append(subdir)
         os.environ['PATH'] = os.pathsep.join(path)
 
-        top_dir = os.path.dirname(os.path.abspath(__file__))
         mkdir(os.path.join(self.test_prefix, 'easybuild'))
-        test_ecs = os.path.join(top_dir, 'easyconfigs')
-        symlink(test_ecs, os.path.join(self.test_prefix, 'easybuild', 'easyconfigs'))
+        symlink(TEST_ECS_DIR, os.path.join(self.test_prefix, 'easybuild', 'easyconfigs'))
 
         # temporarily mock stderr to avoid printed warning (because 'eb' is not available via $PATH)
         with self.mocked_stderr():
             # locations listed in 'robot_path' named argument are taken into account
             res = get_paths_for(subdir='easyconfigs', robot_path=[self.test_prefix])
-        self.assertTrue(os.path.samefile(test_ecs, res[0]))
+        self.assertTrue(os.path.samefile(TEST_ECS_DIR, res[0]))
 
         # Can't have EB_SCRIPT_PATH set (for some of) these tests
         env_eb_script_path = os.getenv('EB_SCRIPT_PATH')
@@ -4116,7 +4062,7 @@ def test_get_paths_for(self):
         os.environ['PATH'] = '%s:%s' % (os.path.join(self.test_prefix, 'bin'), orig_path)
 
         res = get_paths_for(subdir='easyconfigs', robot_path=None)
-        self.assertTrue(os.path.samefile(test_ecs, res[-1]))
+        self.assertTrue(os.path.samefile(TEST_ECS_DIR, res[-1]))
 
         # also works when 'eb' resides in a symlinked location
         altbin = os.path.join(self.test_prefix, 'some', 'other', 'symlinked', 'bin')
@@ -4124,7 +4070,7 @@ def test_get_paths_for(self):
         symlink(os.path.join(self.test_prefix, 'bin'), altbin)
         os.environ['PATH'] = '%s:%s' % (altbin, orig_path)
         res = get_paths_for(subdir='easyconfigs', robot_path=None)
-        self.assertTrue(os.path.samefile(test_ecs, res[-1]))
+        self.assertTrue(os.path.samefile(TEST_ECS_DIR, res[-1]))
 
         # Restore (temporarily) EB_SCRIPT_PATH value if set originally
         if env_eb_script_path:
@@ -4134,7 +4080,7 @@ def test_get_paths_for(self):
         os.environ['PATH'] = orig_path
         sys.path.insert(0, self.test_prefix)
         res = get_paths_for(subdir='easyconfigs', robot_path=None)
-        self.assertTrue(os.path.samefile(test_ecs, res[0]))
+        self.assertTrue(os.path.samefile(TEST_ECS_DIR, res[0]))
 
         # put mock 'eb' back in $PATH
         os.environ['PATH'] = '%s:%s' % (os.path.join(self.test_prefix, 'bin'), orig_path)
@@ -4194,10 +4140,9 @@ def test_get_module_path(self):
 
     def test_not_an_easyconfig(self):
         """Test error reporting when a file that's not actually an easyconfig file is provided."""
-        test_ecs_dir = os.path.join(os.path.dirname(os.path.abspath(__file__)), 'easyconfigs',)
         # run test on an easyconfig file that was downloaded using wget using a non-raw GitHub URL
         # cfr. https://github.com/easybuilders/easybuild-framework/issues/2383
-        not_an_ec = os.path.join(os.path.dirname(test_ecs_dir), 'sandbox', 'not_an_easyconfig.eb')
+        not_an_ec = TEST_DIR / 'sandbox' / 'not_an_easyconfig.eb'
 
         # from Python 3.10 onwards: invalid decimal literal
         # older Python versions: invalid syntax
@@ -4206,9 +4151,7 @@ def test_not_an_easyconfig(self):
 
     def test_check_sha256_checksums(self):
         """Test for check_sha256_checksums function."""
-        test_ecs_dir = os.path.join(os.path.dirname(os.path.abspath(__file__)), 'easyconfigs', 'test_ecs')
-        toy_ec = os.path.join(test_ecs_dir, 't', 'toy', 'toy-0.0.eb')
-        toy_ec_txt = read_file(toy_ec)
+        toy_ec_txt = TOY_EC_TXT
 
         checksums_regex = re.compile(r'^checksums = \[\[(.|\n)*\]\]', re.M)
 
@@ -4256,7 +4199,7 @@ def test_check_sha256_checksums(self):
         self.assertEqual(check_sha256_checksums(ecs), [])
 
         # also test toy easyconfig with extensions, for which some checksums are missing
-        toy_ec = os.path.join(test_ecs_dir, 't', 'toy', 'toy-0.0-gompi-2018a-test.eb')
+        toy_ec = os.path.join(TEST_ECS_DIR, 't', 'toy', 'toy-0.0-gompi-2018a-test.eb')
         ecs, _ = parse_easyconfigs([(toy_ec, False)])
         ecs = [ec['ec'] for ec in ecs]
 
@@ -4295,8 +4238,7 @@ def test_check_sha256_checksums(self):
 
     def test_deprecated(self):
         """Test use of 'deprecated' easyconfig parameter."""
-        topdir = os.path.dirname(os.path.abspath(__file__))
-        toy_ec_txt = read_file(os.path.join(topdir, 'easyconfigs', 'test_ecs', 't', 'toy', 'toy-0.0.eb'))
+        toy_ec_txt = TOY_EC_TXT
         test_ec = os.path.join(self.test_prefix, 'test.eb')
         write_file(test_ec, toy_ec_txt + "\ndeprecated = 'this is just a test'")
 
@@ -4311,8 +4253,7 @@ def test_deprecated(self):
 
     def test_deprecated_toolchain(self):
         """Test use of deprecated toolchain"""
-        topdir = os.path.dirname(os.path.abspath(__file__))
-        deprecated_toolchain_ec = os.path.join(topdir, 'easyconfigs', 'test_ecs', 't', 'toy', 'toy-0.0-gompi-2018a.eb')
+        deprecated_toolchain_ec = TEST_ECS_DIR / 't' / 'toy' / 'toy-0.0-gompi-2018a.eb'
         init_config(build_options={'silence_deprecation_warnings': [], 'unit_testing_mode': False})
         error_pattern = r"toolchain 'gompi/2018a' is marked as deprecated \(see also"
         self.assertErrorRegex(EasyBuildError, error_pattern, EasyConfig, deprecated_toolchain_ec)
@@ -4326,7 +4267,6 @@ def test_deprecated_toolchain(self):
     def test_filename(self):
         """Test filename method of EasyConfig class."""
         init_config(build_options={'silent': True})
-        test_ecs_dir = os.path.join(os.path.dirname(os.path.abspath(__file__)), 'easyconfigs', 'test_ecs')
 
         test_ecs = [
             os.path.join('g', 'GCC', 'GCC-4.6.4.eb'),
@@ -4337,14 +4277,13 @@ def test_filename(self):
             os.path.join('t', 'toy', 'toy-0.0-deps.eb'),
         ]
         for test_ec in test_ecs:
-            test_ec = os.path.join(test_ecs_dir, test_ec)
+            test_ec = os.path.join(TEST_ECS_DIR, test_ec)
             ec = EasyConfig(test_ec)
             self.assertTrue(ec.filename(), os.path.basename(test_ec))
 
     def test_get_ref(self):
         """Test get_ref method."""
-        test_ecs_dir = os.path.join(os.path.dirname(os.path.abspath(__file__)), 'easyconfigs', 'test_ecs')
-        ec = EasyConfig(os.path.join(test_ecs_dir, 't', 'toy', 'toy-0.0-iter.eb'))
+        ec = EasyConfig(os.path.join(TEST_ECS_DIR, 't', 'toy', 'toy-0.0-iter.eb'))
 
         # without using get_ref, we get a (templated) copy rather than the original value
         sources = ec['sources']
@@ -4375,9 +4314,8 @@ def test_get_ref(self):
 
     def test_multi_deps(self):
         """Test handling of multi_deps easyconfig parameter."""
-        test_ecs_dir = os.path.join(os.path.dirname(os.path.abspath(__file__)), 'easyconfigs', 'test_ecs')
-        toy_ec = os.path.join(test_ecs_dir, 't', 'toy', 'toy-0.0.eb')
-        toy_ec_txt = read_file(toy_ec)
+        toy_ec = TOY_EC
+        toy_ec_txt = TOY_EC_TXT
 
         ec = EasyConfig(toy_ec)
         self.assertEqual(ec['builddependencies'], [])
@@ -4450,9 +4388,7 @@ def test_multi_deps(self):
 
     def test_multi_deps_templated_builddeps(self):
         """Test effect of multi_deps on builddependencies w.r.t. resolving templates like %(pyver)s."""
-        test_ecs_dir = os.path.join(os.path.dirname(os.path.abspath(__file__)), 'easyconfigs', 'test_ecs')
-        toy_ec = os.path.join(test_ecs_dir, 't', 'toy', 'toy-0.0.eb')
-        toy_ec_txt = read_file(toy_ec)
+        toy_ec_txt = TOY_EC_TXT
 
         test_ec = os.path.join(self.test_prefix, 'test.eb')
         test_ec_txt = toy_ec_txt + "\nmulti_deps = {'Python': ['3.7.2', '2.7.15']}"
@@ -4499,12 +4435,8 @@ def test_multi_deps_templated_builddeps(self):
 
     def test_iter_builddeps_templates(self):
         """Test whether iterative builddependencies are taken into account to define *ver and *shortver templates."""
-        test_ecs_dir = os.path.join(os.path.dirname(os.path.abspath(__file__)), 'easyconfigs', 'test_ecs')
-        toy_ec = os.path.join(test_ecs_dir, 't', 'toy', 'toy-0.0.eb')
-        toy_ec_txt = read_file(toy_ec)
-
         test_ec = os.path.join(self.test_prefix, 'test.eb')
-        test_ec_txt = toy_ec_txt + "\nmulti_deps = {'Python': ['2.7.15', '3.6.6']}"
+        test_ec_txt = TOY_EC_TXT + "\nmulti_deps = {'Python': ['2.7.15', '3.6.6']}"
 
         # inject extension that uses %(pyshortver)s, to check whether the template value is properly resolved
         test_ec_txt += '\n'.join([
@@ -4560,21 +4492,16 @@ def test_iter_builddeps_templates(self):
 
     def test_fix_deprecated_easyconfigs(self):
         """Test fix_deprecated_easyconfigs function."""
-        test_ecs_dir = os.path.join(os.path.dirname(os.path.abspath(__file__)), 'easyconfigs', 'test_ecs')
-        toy_ec = os.path.join(test_ecs_dir, 't', 'toy', 'toy-0.0.eb')
-        toy_ec_txt = read_file(toy_ec)
-
         test_ec = os.path.join(self.test_prefix, 'test.eb')
 
         # need to allow triggering deprecated behaviour, since that's exactly what we're fixing...
         self.allow_deprecated_behaviour()
 
-        test_ectxt = toy_ec_txt
         # inject local variables with names that need to be tweaked (or not for single-letter ones)
         regex = re.compile('^(sanity_check_paths)', re.M)
         # purposely define configopts via local variable 'foo', which has value that also contains 'foo' substring;
         # that way, we can check whether only the 'foo' variable name is replaced with 'local_foo'
-        test_ectxt = regex.sub(r'foo = "--foobar --barfoo --barfoobaz"\nconfigopts = foo\n\n\1', toy_ec_txt)
+        test_ectxt = regex.sub(r'foo = "--foobar --barfoo --barfoobaz"\nconfigopts = foo\n\n\1', TOY_EC_TXT)
         regex = re.compile(r'^(toolchain\s*=.*)$', re.M)
         test_ectxt = regex.sub(r'\1\n\nsome_list = [x + "1" for x in ["one", "two", "three"]]', test_ectxt)
 
@@ -4969,8 +4896,7 @@ def test_det_copy_ec_specs(self):
 
     def test_recursive_module_unload(self):
         """Test use of recursive_module_unload easyconfig parameter."""
-        test_ecs_dir = os.path.join(os.path.dirname(os.path.abspath(__file__)), 'easyconfigs', 'test_ecs')
-        toy_ec = os.path.join(test_ecs_dir, 'f', 'foss', 'foss-2018a.eb')
+        toy_ec = os.path.join(TEST_ECS_DIR, 'f', 'foss', 'foss-2018a.eb')
         test_ec = os.path.join(self.test_prefix, 'test.eb')
         test_ec_txt = read_file(toy_ec)
 
@@ -5086,8 +5012,7 @@ def test_pure_ec(self):
         Test whether we can get a 'pure' view on the easyconfig file,
         which correctly reflects what's defined in the easyconfig file.
         """
-        test_ecs_dir = os.path.join(os.path.dirname(os.path.abspath(__file__)), 'easyconfigs', 'test_ecs')
-        toy_ec = EasyConfig(os.path.join(test_ecs_dir, 't', 'toy', 'toy-0.0.eb'))
+        toy_ec = EasyConfig(TOY_EC)
 
         ec_dict = toy_ec.parser.get_config_dict()
         self.assertEqual(ec_dict.get('version'), '0.0')
@@ -5111,11 +5036,9 @@ def test_easyconfig_import(self):
         """
         Test parsing of an easyconfig file that includes import statements.
         """
-        test_ecs_dir = os.path.join(os.path.dirname(os.path.abspath(__file__)), 'easyconfigs', 'test_ecs')
-        toy_ec = os.path.join(test_ecs_dir, 't', 'toy', 'toy-0.0.eb')
 
         test_ec = os.path.join(self.test_prefix, 'test.eb')
-        test_ec_txt = read_file(toy_ec)
+        test_ec_txt = TOY_EC_TXT
         test_ec_txt += '\n' + '\n'.join([
             "import os",
             "local_test = os.getenv('TEST_TOY')",
@@ -5250,11 +5173,8 @@ def test_get_amdgcn_cc_template_value(self):
 
     def test_count_files(self):
         """Tests for EasyConfig.count_files method."""
-        test_ecs_dir = os.path.join(os.path.dirname(os.path.abspath(__file__)), 'easyconfigs', 'test_ecs')
-
-        foss = os.path.join(test_ecs_dir, 'f', 'foss', 'foss-2018a.eb')
-        toy = os.path.join(test_ecs_dir, 't', 'toy', 'toy-0.0.eb')
-        toy_exts = os.path.join(test_ecs_dir, 't', 'toy', 'toy-0.0-gompi-2018a-test.eb')
+        foss = os.path.join(TEST_ECS_DIR, 'f', 'foss', 'foss-2018a.eb')
+        toy_exts = os.path.join(TEST_ECS_DIR, 't', 'toy', 'toy-0.0-gompi-2018a-test.eb')
 
         # no sources or patches for toolchain => 0
         foss_ec = EasyConfig(foss)
@@ -5262,7 +5182,7 @@ def test_count_files(self):
         self.assertEqual(foss_ec['patches'], [])
         self.assertEqual(foss_ec.count_files(), 0)
         # 1 source + 2 patches => 3
-        toy_ec = EasyConfig(toy)
+        toy_ec = EasyConfig(TOY_EC)
         self.assertEqual(len(toy_ec['sources']), 1)
         self.assertEqual(len(toy_ec['patches']), 2)
         self.assertEqual(toy_ec['exts_list'], [])
@@ -5310,13 +5230,11 @@ def test_easyconfigs_caches(self):
         """
         Test whether easyconfigs caches work as intended.
         """
-        test_ecs_dir = os.path.join(os.path.dirname(os.path.abspath(__file__)), 'easyconfigs', 'test_ecs')
-        libtoy_ec = os.path.join(test_ecs_dir, 'l', 'libtoy', 'libtoy-0.0.eb')
-        toy_ec = os.path.join(test_ecs_dir, 't', 'toy', 'toy-0.0.eb')
+        libtoy_ec = os.path.join(TEST_ECS_DIR, 'l', 'libtoy', 'libtoy-0.0.eb')
         copy_file(libtoy_ec, self.test_prefix)
-        copy_file(toy_ec, self.test_prefix)
+        copy_file(TOY_EC, self.test_prefix)
         libtoy_ec = os.path.join(self.test_prefix, os.path.basename(libtoy_ec))
-        toy_ec = os.path.join(self.test_prefix, os.path.basename(toy_ec))
+        toy_ec = os.path.join(self.test_prefix, os.path.basename(TOY_EC))
 
         ec1 = process_easyconfig(toy_ec)[0]
         self.assertEqual(ec1['ec'].name, 'toy')
@@ -5378,10 +5296,8 @@ def test_templates(self):
         """
         Test use of template values like %(version)s
         """
-        test_ecs_dir = os.path.join(os.path.dirname(os.path.abspath(__file__)), 'easyconfigs', 'test_ecs')
-        toy_ec = os.path.join(test_ecs_dir, 't', 'toy', 'toy-0.0.eb')
 
-        test_ec_txt = read_file(toy_ec)
+        test_ec_txt = TOY_EC_TXT
         test_ec_txt += '\ndescription = "name: %(name)s, version: %(version)s"'
 
         test_ec = os.path.join(self.test_prefix, 'test.eb')
diff --git a/test/framework/filetools.py b/test/framework/filetools.py
index 18130d166a..88c83c8c27 100644
--- a/test/framework/filetools.py
+++ b/test/framework/filetools.py
@@ -57,6 +57,8 @@
 from easybuild.tools.run import run_shell_cmd
 from easybuild.tools.systemtools import LINUX, get_os_type
 
+from test.framework import REPO_ROOT, TEST_DIR, TEST_ECS_DIR, TOY_EC, TOY_EC_TXT
+
 
 class FileToolsTest(EnhancedTestCase):
     """ Testcase for filetools module """
@@ -561,8 +563,7 @@ def test_download_file(self):
         fn = 'toy-0.0.tar.gz'
         target_location = os.path.join(self.test_buildpath, 'some', 'subdir', fn)
         # provide local file path as source URL
-        test_dir = os.path.abspath(os.path.dirname(__file__))
-        toy_source_dir = os.path.join(test_dir, 'sandbox', 'sources', 'toy')
+        toy_source_dir = os.path.join(TEST_DIR, 'sandbox', 'sources', 'toy')
         source_url = 'file://%s/%s' % (toy_source_dir, fn)
         with self.mocked_stdout_stderr():
             res = ft.download_file(fn, source_url, target_location)
@@ -587,11 +588,11 @@ def test_download_file(self):
 
         # non-existing files result in None return value
         with self.mocked_stdout_stderr():
-            self.assertEqual(ft.download_file(fn, 'file://%s/nosuchfile' % test_dir, target_location), None)
+            self.assertEqual(ft.download_file(fn, 'file://%s/nosuchfile' % TEST_DIR, target_location), None)
 
         # install broken proxy handler for opening local files
         # this should make urlopen use this broken proxy for downloading from a file:// URL
-        proxy_handler = request.ProxyHandler({'file': 'file://%s/nosuchfile' % test_dir})
+        proxy_handler = request.ProxyHandler({'file': 'file://%s/nosuchfile' % TEST_DIR})
         request.install_opener(request.build_opener(proxy_handler))
 
         # for Python 3.14+, we need to make sure that proxy and original URL are using different protocol,
@@ -727,8 +728,7 @@ def fake_urllib_open(url, *args, **kwargs):
             return self.orig_filetools_std_urllib_urlopen(url, *args, **kwargs)
 
         fn = 'toy-0.0.eb'
-        test_dir = os.path.abspath(os.path.dirname(__file__))
-        toy_dir = os.path.join(test_dir, 'easyconfigs', 'test_ecs', 't', 'toy')
+        toy_dir = os.path.join(TEST_ECS_DIR, 't', 'toy')
         url = 'file://%s/%s' % (toy_dir, fn)
 
         ft.std_urllib.urlopen = fake_urllib_open
@@ -793,8 +793,7 @@ def test_download_file_fallback_source_urls(self):
         """
 
         fn = 'toy-0.0.eb'
-        test_dir = os.path.abspath(os.path.dirname(__file__))
-        toy_dir = os.path.join(test_dir, 'easyconfigs', 'test_ecs', 't', 'toy')
+        toy_dir = os.path.join(TEST_ECS_DIR, 't', 'toy')
         correct_url = f'file://{toy_dir}/'
 
         wrong_url = f'file://{self.test_prefix}/easyconfigs/'
@@ -1102,7 +1101,7 @@ def test_is_binary(self):
     def test_det_patched_files(self):
         """Test det_patched_files function."""
         toy_patch_fn = 'toy-0.0_fix-silly-typo-in-printf-statement.patch'
-        pf = os.path.join(os.path.dirname(__file__), 'sandbox', 'sources', 'toy', toy_patch_fn)
+        pf = os.path.join(TEST_DIR, 'sandbox', 'sources', 'toy', toy_patch_fn)
         self.assertEqual(ft.det_patched_files(pf), ['b/toy-0.0/toy.source'])
         self.assertEqual(ft.det_patched_files(pf, omit_ab_prefix=True), ['toy-0.0/toy.source'])
 
@@ -1304,15 +1303,13 @@ def test_move_logs(self):
 
     def test_multidiff(self):
         """Test multidiff function."""
-        test_easyconfigs = os.path.join(os.path.dirname(os.path.abspath(__file__)), 'easyconfigs', 'test_ecs')
         other_toy_ecs = [
-            os.path.join(test_easyconfigs, 't', 'toy', 'toy-0.0-deps.eb'),
-            os.path.join(test_easyconfigs, 't', 'toy', 'toy-0.0-gompi-2018a-test.eb'),
+            os.path.join(TEST_ECS_DIR, 't', 'toy', 'toy-0.0-deps.eb'),
+            os.path.join(TEST_ECS_DIR, 't', 'toy', 'toy-0.0-gompi-2018a-test.eb'),
         ]
 
         # default (colored)
-        toy_ec = os.path.join(test_easyconfigs, 't', 'toy', 'toy-0.0.eb')
-        lines = multidiff(toy_ec, other_toy_ecs).split('\n')
+        lines = multidiff(TOY_EC, other_toy_ecs).split('\n')
         expected = "Comparing \x1b[0;35mtoy-0.0.eb\x1b[0m with toy-0.0-deps.eb, toy-0.0-gompi-2018a-test.eb"
 
         red = "\x1b[0;41m"
@@ -1342,7 +1339,7 @@ def test_multidiff(self):
         self.assertTrue(any(line.startswith(expected) for line in lines), "Found '%s' in: %s" % (expected, lines))
         self.assertEqual(lines[-1], "=====")
 
-        lines = multidiff(toy_ec, other_toy_ecs, colored=False).split('\n')
+        lines = multidiff(TOY_EC, other_toy_ecs, colored=False).split('\n')
         self.assertEqual(lines[0], "Comparing toy-0.0.eb with toy-0.0-deps.eb, toy-0.0-gompi-2018a-test.eb")
         self.assertEqual(lines[1], "=====")
 
@@ -1801,10 +1798,9 @@ def test_find_flexlm_license(self):
 
     def test_is_patch_file(self):
         """Test for is_patch_file() function."""
-        testdir = os.path.dirname(os.path.abspath(__file__))
-        self.assertFalse(ft.is_patch_file(os.path.join(testdir, 'easyconfigs', 'test_ecs', 't', 'toy', 'toy-0.0.eb')))
+        self.assertFalse(ft.is_patch_file(TOY_EC))
         toy_patch_fn = 'toy-0.0_fix-silly-typo-in-printf-statement.patch'
-        self.assertTrue(ft.is_patch_file(os.path.join(testdir, 'sandbox', 'sources', 'toy', toy_patch_fn)))
+        self.assertTrue(ft.is_patch_file(os.path.join(TEST_DIR, 'sandbox', 'sources', 'toy', toy_patch_fn)))
 
     def test_is_alt_pypi_url(self):
         """Test is_alt_pypi_url() function."""
@@ -1905,12 +1901,11 @@ def test_create_patch_info(self):
 
     def test_apply_patch(self):
         """ Test apply_patch """
-        testdir = os.path.dirname(os.path.abspath(__file__))
-        toy_tar_gz = os.path.join(testdir, 'sandbox', 'sources', 'toy', 'toy-0.0.tar.gz')
+        toy_tar_gz = os.path.join(TEST_DIR, 'sandbox', 'sources', 'toy', 'toy-0.0.tar.gz')
         with self.mocked_stdout_stderr():
             path = ft.extract_file(toy_tar_gz, self.test_prefix, change_into_dir=False)
         toy_patch_fn = 'toy-0.0_fix-silly-typo-in-printf-statement.patch'
-        toy_patch = os.path.join(testdir, 'sandbox', 'sources', 'toy', toy_patch_fn)
+        toy_patch = os.path.join(TEST_DIR, 'sandbox', 'sources', 'toy', toy_patch_fn)
 
         for with_backup in (True, False):
             update_build_option('backup_patched_files', with_backup)
@@ -1929,7 +1924,7 @@ def test_apply_patch(self):
                 self.assertNotExists(backup_file)
 
         # This patch is dependent on the previous one
-        toy_patch_gz = os.path.join(testdir, 'sandbox', 'sources', 'toy', 'toy-0.0_gzip.patch.gz')
+        toy_patch_gz = os.path.join(TEST_DIR, 'sandbox', 'sources', 'toy', 'toy-0.0_gzip.patch.gz')
         with self.mocked_stdout_stderr():
             self.assertTrue(ft.apply_patch(toy_patch_gz, path))
         patched_gz = ft.read_file(os.path.join(path, 'toy-0.0', 'toy.source'))
@@ -2003,12 +1998,10 @@ def test_apply_patch(self):
 
     def test_copy_file(self):
         """Test copy_file function."""
-        testdir = os.path.dirname(os.path.abspath(__file__))
-        toy_ec = os.path.join(testdir, 'easyconfigs', 'test_ecs', 't', 'toy', 'toy-0.0.eb')
         target_path = os.path.join(self.test_prefix, 'toy.eb')
-        ft.copy_file(toy_ec, target_path)
+        ft.copy_file(TOY_EC, target_path)
         self.assertExists(target_path)
-        self.assertTrue(ft.read_file(toy_ec) == ft.read_file(target_path))
+        self.assertEqual(ft.read_file(target_path), TOY_EC_TXT)
 
         # Make sure it doesn't fail if path is a symlink and target_path is a dir
         toy_link_fn = 'toy-link-0.0.eb'
@@ -2032,7 +2025,7 @@ def test_copy_file(self):
         ft.remove_file(copied_file)
 
         # clean error when trying to copy a directory with copy_file
-        src, target = os.path.dirname(toy_ec), os.path.join(self.test_prefix, 'toy')
+        src, target = os.path.dirname(TOY_EC), os.path.join(self.test_prefix, 'toy')
         # error message was changed in Python 3.9.7 to "FileNotFoundError: Directory does not exist"
         error_pattern = "Failed to copy file.*(Is a directory|Directory does not exist)"
         self.assertErrorRegex(EasyBuildError, error_pattern, ft.copy_file, src, target)
@@ -2082,7 +2075,7 @@ def test_copy_file(self):
         self.assertNotExists(target_path)
 
         with self.mocked_stdout():
-            ft.copy_file(toy_ec, target_path)
+            ft.copy_file(TOY_EC, target_path)
             txt = self.get_stdout()
 
         self.assertNotExists(target_path)
@@ -2090,11 +2083,11 @@ def test_copy_file(self):
 
         # forced copy, even in dry run mode
         with self.mocked_stdout():
-            ft.copy_file(toy_ec, target_path, force_in_dry_run=True)
+            ft.copy_file(TOY_EC, target_path, force_in_dry_run=True)
             txt = self.get_stdout()
 
         self.assertExists(target_path)
-        self.assertTrue(ft.read_file(toy_ec) == ft.read_file(target_path))
+        self.assertEqual(ft.read_file(target_path), TOY_EC_TXT)
         self.assertEqual(txt, '')
 
         # Test that a non-existing file raises an exception
@@ -2155,18 +2148,15 @@ def test_copy_file_xattr(self):
 
     def test_copy_files(self):
         """Test copy_files function."""
-        test_ecs = os.path.join(os.path.dirname(os.path.abspath(__file__)), 'easyconfigs', 'test_ecs')
-        toy_ec = os.path.join(test_ecs, 't', 'toy', 'toy-0.0.eb')
-        toy_ec_txt = ft.read_file(toy_ec)
-        bzip2_ec = os.path.join(test_ecs, 'b', 'bzip2', 'bzip2-1.0.6-GCC-4.9.2.eb')
+        bzip2_ec = os.path.join(TEST_ECS_DIR, 'b', 'bzip2', 'bzip2-1.0.6-GCC-4.9.2.eb')
         bzip2_ec_txt = ft.read_file(bzip2_ec)
 
         # copying a single file to a non-existing directory
         target_dir = os.path.join(self.test_prefix, 'target_dir1')
-        ft.copy_files([toy_ec], target_dir)
+        ft.copy_files([TOY_EC], target_dir)
         copied_toy_ec = os.path.join(target_dir, 'toy-0.0.eb')
         self.assertExists(copied_toy_ec)
-        self.assertEqual(ft.read_file(copied_toy_ec), toy_ec_txt)
+        self.assertEqual(ft.read_file(copied_toy_ec), TOY_EC_TXT)
 
         # copying a single file to an existing directory
         ft.copy_files([bzip2_ec], target_dir)
@@ -2176,10 +2166,10 @@ def test_copy_files(self):
 
         # copying multiple files to a non-existing directory
         target_dir = os.path.join(self.test_prefix, 'target_dir_multiple')
-        ft.copy_files([toy_ec, bzip2_ec], target_dir)
+        ft.copy_files([TOY_EC, bzip2_ec], target_dir)
         copied_toy_ec = os.path.join(target_dir, 'toy-0.0.eb')
         self.assertExists(copied_toy_ec)
-        self.assertEqual(ft.read_file(copied_toy_ec), toy_ec_txt)
+        self.assertEqual(ft.read_file(copied_toy_ec), TOY_EC_TXT)
         copied_bzip2_ec = os.path.join(target_dir, 'bzip2-1.0.6-GCC-4.9.2.eb')
         self.assertExists(copied_bzip2_ec)
         self.assertEqual(ft.read_file(copied_bzip2_ec), bzip2_ec_txt)
@@ -2197,10 +2187,10 @@ def test_copy_files(self):
         # test special case: copying a single file to a file target via target_single_file=True
         target = os.path.join(self.test_prefix, 'target')
         self.assertNotExists(target)
-        ft.copy_files([toy_ec], target, target_single_file=True)
+        ft.copy_files([TOY_EC], target, target_single_file=True)
         self.assertExists(target)
         self.assertTrue(os.path.isfile(target))
-        self.assertEqual(toy_ec_txt, ft.read_file(target))
+        self.assertEqual(ft.read_file(target), TOY_EC_TXT)
 
         ft.remove_file(target)
 
@@ -2208,27 +2198,27 @@ def test_copy_files(self):
         target = os.path.join(self.test_prefix, 'target_parent', 'target_subdir', 'target.txt')
         self.assertNotExists(target)
         self.assertNotExists(os.path.dirname(target))
-        ft.copy_files([toy_ec], target, target_single_file=True)
+        ft.copy_files([TOY_EC], target, target_single_file=True)
         self.assertExists(target)
         self.assertTrue(os.path.isfile(target))
-        self.assertEqual(toy_ec_txt, ft.read_file(target))
+        self.assertEqual(ft.read_file(target), TOY_EC_TXT)
 
         ft.remove_file(target)
 
         # default behaviour is to copy single file list to target *directory*
         self.assertNotExists(target)
-        ft.copy_files([toy_ec], target)
+        ft.copy_files([TOY_EC], target)
         self.assertExists(target)
         self.assertTrue(os.path.isdir(target))
         copied_toy_ec = os.path.join(target, 'toy-0.0.eb')
         self.assertExists(copied_toy_ec)
-        self.assertEqual(toy_ec_txt, ft.read_file(copied_toy_ec))
+        self.assertEqual(ft.read_file(copied_toy_ec), TOY_EC_TXT)
 
         ft.remove_dir(target)
 
         # test enabling verbose mode
         with self.mocked_stdout_stderr():
-            ft.copy_files([toy_ec], target, verbose=True)
+            ft.copy_files([TOY_EC], target, verbose=True)
             stderr, stdout = self.get_stderr(), self.get_stdout()
         self.assertEqual(stderr, '')
         regex = re.compile(r"^1 file\(s\) copied to .*/target")
@@ -2237,7 +2227,7 @@ def test_copy_files(self):
         ft.remove_dir(target)
 
         with self.mocked_stdout_stderr():
-            ft.copy_files([toy_ec], target, target_single_file=True, verbose=True)
+            ft.copy_files([TOY_EC], target, target_single_file=True, verbose=True)
             stderr, stdout = self.get_stderr(), self.get_stdout()
         self.assertEqual(stderr, '')
         regex = re.compile(r"/.*/toy-0\.0\.eb copied to .*/target")
@@ -2312,8 +2302,7 @@ def test_has_recursive_symlinks(self):
 
     def test_copy_dir(self):
         """Test copy_dir function."""
-        testdir = os.path.dirname(os.path.abspath(__file__))
-        to_copy = os.path.join(testdir, 'easyconfigs', 'test_ecs', 'g', 'GCC')
+        to_copy = os.path.join(TEST_ECS_DIR, 'g', 'GCC')
 
         target_dir = os.path.join(self.test_prefix, 'GCC')
         self.assertNotExists(target_dir)
@@ -2419,12 +2408,10 @@ def ignore_func(_, names):
 
     def test_copy(self):
         """Test copy function."""
-        testdir = os.path.dirname(os.path.abspath(__file__))
-
-        toy_file = os.path.join(testdir, 'easyconfigs', 'test_ecs', 't', 'toy', 'toy-0.0.eb')
+        toy_file = TOY_EC
         toy_patch_fn = 'toy-0.0_fix-silly-typo-in-printf-statement.patch'
-        toy_patch = os.path.join(testdir, 'sandbox', 'sources', 'toy', toy_patch_fn)
-        gcc_dir = os.path.join(testdir, 'easyconfigs', 'test_ecs', 'g', 'GCC')
+        toy_patch = os.path.join(TEST_DIR, 'sandbox', 'sources', 'toy', toy_patch_fn)
+        gcc_dir = os.path.join(TEST_ECS_DIR, 'g', 'GCC')
 
         ft.copy([toy_file, gcc_dir, toy_patch], self.test_prefix)
 
@@ -2506,8 +2493,7 @@ def test_extract_file(self):
         """Test extract_file"""
         cwd = os.getcwd()
 
-        testdir = os.path.dirname(os.path.abspath(__file__))
-        toy_tarball = os.path.join(testdir, 'sandbox', 'sources', 'toy', 'toy-0.0.tar.gz')
+        toy_tarball = os.path.join(TEST_DIR, 'sandbox', 'sources', 'toy', 'toy-0.0.tar.gz')
 
         self.assertNotExists(os.path.join(self.test_prefix, 'toy-0.0', 'toy.source'))
         with self.mocked_stdout_stderr():
@@ -2708,23 +2694,20 @@ def test_clean_dir(self):
     def test_index_functions(self):
         """Test *_index functions."""
 
-        test_ecs = os.path.join(os.path.dirname(os.path.abspath(__file__)), 'easyconfigs', 'test_ecs')
-
         # create_index checks whether specified path is an existing directory
         doesnotexist = os.path.join(self.test_prefix, 'doesnotexist')
         self.assertErrorRegex(EasyBuildError, "Specified path does not exist", ft.create_index, doesnotexist)
 
-        toy_ec = os.path.join(test_ecs, 't', 'toy', 'toy-0.0.eb')
-        self.assertErrorRegex(EasyBuildError, "Specified path is not a directory", ft.create_index, toy_ec)
+        self.assertErrorRegex(EasyBuildError, "Specified path is not a directory", ft.create_index, TOY_EC)
 
         # load_index just returns None if there is no index in specified directory
         self.assertEqual(ft.load_index(self.test_prefix), None)
 
-        num_files = len(glob.glob(test_ecs + '/**/*.*', recursive=True))
+        num_files = len(list(TEST_ECS_DIR.rglob('*.*')))
 
         # create index for test easyconfigs;
         # test with specified path with and without trailing '/'s
-        for path in [test_ecs, test_ecs + '/', test_ecs + '//']:
+        for path in [TEST_ECS_DIR, str(TEST_ECS_DIR), str(TEST_ECS_DIR) + '/', str(TEST_ECS_DIR) + '//']:
             index = ft.create_index(path)
             self.assertEqual(len(index), num_files)
 
@@ -2741,7 +2724,7 @@ def test_index_functions(self):
 
         # set up some files to create actual index file for
         ecs_dir = os.path.join(self.test_prefix, 'easyconfigs')
-        ft.copy_dir(os.path.join(test_ecs, 'g'), ecs_dir)
+        ft.copy_dir(os.path.join(TEST_ECS_DIR, 'g'), ecs_dir)
 
         # test dump_index function
         index_fp = ft.dump_index(ecs_dir)
@@ -2824,10 +2807,9 @@ def test_index_functions(self):
 
     def test_search_file(self):
         """Test search_file function."""
-        test_ecs = os.path.join(os.path.dirname(os.path.abspath(__file__)), 'easyconfigs', 'test_ecs')
 
         # check for default semantics, test case-insensitivity
-        var_defs, hits = ft.search_file([test_ecs], 'HWLOC', silent=True)
+        var_defs, hits = ft.search_file([TEST_ECS_DIR], 'HWLOC', silent=True)
         self.assertEqual(var_defs, [])
         self.assertEqual(len(hits), 5)
         self.assertTrue(all(os.path.exists(p) for p in hits))
@@ -2838,16 +2820,16 @@ def test_search_file(self):
         self.assertTrue(hits[4].endswith('/hwloc-1.11.8-GCC-7.3.0-2.30.eb'))
 
         # also test case-sensitive searching
-        var_defs, hits_case_sensitive = ft.search_file([test_ecs], 'HWLOC', silent=True, case_sensitive=True)
+        var_defs, hits_case_sensitive = ft.search_file([TEST_ECS_DIR], 'HWLOC', silent=True, case_sensitive=True)
         self.assertEqual(var_defs, [])
         self.assertEqual(hits_case_sensitive, [])
 
-        var_defs, hits_case_sensitive = ft.search_file([test_ecs], 'hwloc', silent=True, case_sensitive=True)
+        var_defs, hits_case_sensitive = ft.search_file([TEST_ECS_DIR], 'hwloc', silent=True, case_sensitive=True)
         self.assertEqual(var_defs, [])
         self.assertEqual(hits_case_sensitive, hits)
 
         # check filename-only mode
-        var_defs, hits = ft.search_file([test_ecs], 'HWLOC', silent=True, filename_only=True)
+        var_defs, hits = ft.search_file([TEST_ECS_DIR], 'HWLOC', silent=True, filename_only=True)
         self.assertEqual(var_defs, [])
         self.assertEqual(hits, ['hwloc-1.6.2-GCC-4.9.3-2.26.eb',
                                 'hwloc-1.8-gcccuda-2018a.eb',
@@ -2857,12 +2839,12 @@ def test_search_file(self):
                                 ])
 
         # check specifying of ignored dirs
-        var_defs, hits = ft.search_file([test_ecs], 'HWLOC', silent=True, ignore_dirs=['hwloc'])
+        var_defs, hits = ft.search_file([TEST_ECS_DIR], 'HWLOC', silent=True, ignore_dirs=['hwloc'])
         self.assertEqual(var_defs + hits, [])
 
         # check short mode
-        var_defs, hits = ft.search_file([test_ecs], 'HWLOC', silent=True, short=True)
-        self.assertEqual(var_defs, [('CFGS1', os.path.join(test_ecs, 'h', 'hwloc'))])
+        var_defs, hits = ft.search_file([TEST_ECS_DIR], 'HWLOC', silent=True, short=True)
+        self.assertEqual(var_defs, [('CFGS1', os.path.join(TEST_ECS_DIR, 'h', 'hwloc'))])
         self.assertEqual(hits, ['$CFGS1/hwloc-1.6.2-GCC-4.9.3-2.26.eb',
                                 '$CFGS1/hwloc-1.8-gcccuda-2018a.eb',
                                 '$CFGS1/hwloc-1.11.8-GCC-4.6.4.eb',
@@ -2871,19 +2853,19 @@ def test_search_file(self):
                                 ])
 
         # check terse mode (implies 'silent', overrides 'short')
-        var_defs, hits = ft.search_file([test_ecs], 'HWLOC', terse=True, short=True)
+        var_defs, hits = ft.search_file([TEST_ECS_DIR], 'HWLOC', terse=True, short=True)
         self.assertEqual(var_defs, [])
         expected = [
-            os.path.join(test_ecs, 'h', 'hwloc', 'hwloc-1.6.2-GCC-4.9.3-2.26.eb'),
-            os.path.join(test_ecs, 'h', 'hwloc', 'hwloc-1.8-gcccuda-2018a.eb'),
-            os.path.join(test_ecs, 'h', 'hwloc', 'hwloc-1.11.8-GCC-4.6.4.eb'),
-            os.path.join(test_ecs, 'h', 'hwloc', 'hwloc-1.11.8-GCC-6.4.0-2.28.eb'),
-            os.path.join(test_ecs, 'h', 'hwloc', 'hwloc-1.11.8-GCC-7.3.0-2.30.eb'),
+            os.path.join(TEST_ECS_DIR, 'h', 'hwloc', 'hwloc-1.6.2-GCC-4.9.3-2.26.eb'),
+            os.path.join(TEST_ECS_DIR, 'h', 'hwloc', 'hwloc-1.8-gcccuda-2018a.eb'),
+            os.path.join(TEST_ECS_DIR, 'h', 'hwloc', 'hwloc-1.11.8-GCC-4.6.4.eb'),
+            os.path.join(TEST_ECS_DIR, 'h', 'hwloc', 'hwloc-1.11.8-GCC-6.4.0-2.28.eb'),
+            os.path.join(TEST_ECS_DIR, 'h', 'hwloc', 'hwloc-1.11.8-GCC-7.3.0-2.30.eb'),
         ]
         self.assertEqual(hits, expected)
 
         # check combo of terse and filename-only
-        var_defs, hits = ft.search_file([test_ecs], 'HWLOC', terse=True, filename_only=True)
+        var_defs, hits = ft.search_file([TEST_ECS_DIR], 'HWLOC', terse=True, filename_only=True)
         self.assertEqual(var_defs, [])
         self.assertEqual(hits, ['hwloc-1.6.2-GCC-4.9.3-2.26.eb',
                                 'hwloc-1.8-gcccuda-2018a.eb',
@@ -2895,7 +2877,7 @@ def test_search_file(self):
         # patterns that include special characters + (or ++) shouldn't cause trouble
         # cfr. https://github.com/easybuilders/easybuild-framework/issues/2966
         for pattern in ['netCDF-C++', 'foo.*bar', 'foo|bar']:
-            var_defs, hits = ft.search_file([test_ecs], pattern, terse=True, filename_only=True)
+            var_defs, hits = ft.search_file([TEST_ECS_DIR], pattern, terse=True, filename_only=True)
             self.assertEqual(var_defs, [])
             # no hits for any of these in test easyconfigs
             self.assertEqual(hits, [])
@@ -2904,7 +2886,7 @@ def test_search_file(self):
         # to avoid accidental matches in other files already present (log files, etc.)
         ec_dir = tempfile.mkdtemp()
         test_ec = os.path.join(ec_dir, 'netCDF-C++-4.2-foss-2019a.eb')
-        ft.write_file(test_ec, ''),
+        ft.write_file(test_ec, '')
         for pattern in ['netCDF-C++', 'CDF', 'C++', '^netCDF']:
             var_defs, hits = ft.search_file([ec_dir], pattern, terse=True, filename_only=True)
             self.assertEqual(var_defs, [], msg='For pattern ' + pattern)
@@ -2912,7 +2894,7 @@ def test_search_file(self):
 
         # check how simply invalid queries are handled
         for pattern in ['*foo', '(foo', ')foo', 'foo)', 'foo(']:
-            self.assertErrorRegex(EasyBuildError, "Invalid search query", ft.search_file, [test_ecs], pattern)
+            self.assertErrorRegex(EasyBuildError, "Invalid search query", ft.search_file, [TEST_ECS_DIR], pattern)
 
     def test_dir_contains_files(self):
         def makedirs_in_test(*paths):
@@ -3564,8 +3546,7 @@ def foobar():
     def test_get_easyblock_class_name(self):
         """Test for get_easyblock_class_name function."""
 
-        topdir = os.path.dirname(os.path.abspath(__file__))
-        test_ebs = os.path.join(topdir, 'sandbox', 'easybuild', 'easyblocks')
+        test_ebs = os.path.join(TEST_DIR, 'sandbox', 'easybuild', 'easyblocks')
 
         configuremake = os.path.join(test_ebs, 'generic', 'configuremake.py')
         self.assertEqual(ft.get_easyblock_class_name(configuremake), 'ConfigureMake')
@@ -3579,8 +3560,7 @@ def test_get_easyblock_class_name(self):
     def test_copy_easyblocks(self):
         """Test for copy_easyblocks function."""
 
-        topdir = os.path.dirname(os.path.abspath(__file__))
-        test_ebs = os.path.join(topdir, 'sandbox', 'easybuild', 'easyblocks')
+        test_ebs = os.path.join(TEST_DIR, 'sandbox', 'easybuild', 'easyblocks')
 
         # easybuild/easyblocks subdirectory must exist in target directory
         error_pattern = "Could not find easybuild/easyblocks subdir in .*"
@@ -3654,7 +3634,6 @@ def test_copy_framework_files(self):
         # create empty test/framework/modules.py, to check whether 'new' is set correctly in result
         ft.write_file(os.path.join(target_dir, 'test', 'framework', 'modules.py'), '')
 
-        topdir = os.path.dirname(os.path.dirname(os.path.dirname(os.path.abspath(__file__))))
         test_files = [
             os.path.join('easybuild', 'tools', 'filetools.py'),
             os.path.join('test', 'framework', 'modules.py'),
@@ -3670,7 +3649,7 @@ def test_copy_framework_files(self):
         # setup.py is an important test case, since it has no parent directory
         # (it's straight in the easybuild-framework directory)
         setup_py = 'setup.py'
-        if os.path.exists(os.path.join(topdir, setup_py)):
+        if os.path.exists(os.path.join(REPO_ROOT, setup_py)):
             test_files.append(os.path.join(setup_py))
             expected_entries.append(setup_py)
             expected_new.append(True)
@@ -3679,7 +3658,7 @@ def test_copy_framework_files(self):
         # so we need to make sure that's the case here as well (may not be in workspace dir on Travis from example)
         framework_dir = os.path.join(self.test_prefix, 'easybuild-framework')
         for test_file in test_files:
-            ft.copy_file(os.path.join(topdir, test_file), os.path.join(framework_dir, test_file))
+            ft.copy_file(os.path.join(REPO_ROOT, test_file), os.path.join(framework_dir, test_file))
 
         test_paths = [os.path.join(framework_dir, f) for f in test_files]
 
@@ -3690,7 +3669,7 @@ def test_copy_framework_files(self):
         self.assertEqual(sorted(res.keys()), ['new', 'paths_in_repo'])
 
         for idx, test_file in enumerate(test_files):
-            orig_path = os.path.join(topdir, test_file)
+            orig_path = os.path.join(REPO_ROOT, test_file)
             copied_path = os.path.join(target_dir, test_file)
 
             self.assertExists(copied_path)
diff --git a/test/framework/robot.py b/test/framework/robot.py
index 326e97cbe5..413ebae8c4 100644
--- a/test/framework/robot.py
+++ b/test/framework/robot.py
@@ -35,6 +35,7 @@
 import tempfile
 from copy import deepcopy
 from test.framework.utilities import EnhancedTestCase, TestLoaderFiltered, init_config
+from test.framework import TEST_ECS_DIR, TOY_EC, TOY_EC_TXT
 from unittest import TextTestRunner
 
 import easybuild.framework.easyconfig.easyconfig as ecec
@@ -137,7 +138,7 @@ def test_resolve_dependencies(self):
         """ Test with some basic testcases (also check if he can find dependencies inside the given directory """
         self.install_mock_module()
 
-        base_easyconfig_dir = find_full_path(os.path.join('test', 'framework', 'easyconfigs', 'test_ecs'))
+        base_easyconfig_dir = find_full_path(TEST_ECS_DIR)
         self.assertTrue(base_easyconfig_dir)
 
         easyconfig = {
@@ -403,7 +404,6 @@ def test_resolve_dependencies_minimal(self):
         # replace log.experimental with log.warning to allow experimental code
         easybuild.framework.easyconfig.tools._log.experimental = easybuild.framework.easyconfig.tools._log.warning
 
-        test_easyconfigs = os.path.join(os.path.dirname(os.path.abspath(__file__)), 'easyconfigs', 'test_ecs')
         self.install_mock_module()
 
         init_config(build_options={
@@ -411,7 +411,7 @@ def test_resolve_dependencies_minimal(self):
             'minimal_toolchains': True,
             'use_existing_modules': True,
             'external_modules_metadata': ConfigObj(),
-            'robot_path': test_easyconfigs,
+            'robot_path': str(TEST_ECS_DIR),
             'valid_module_classes': module_classes(),
             'validate': False,
         })
@@ -509,14 +509,14 @@ def test_resolve_dependencies_minimal(self):
             'minimal_toolchains': True,
             'add_system_to_minimal_toolchains': True,
             'external_modules_metadata': ConfigObj(),
-            'robot_path': test_easyconfigs,
+            'robot_path': str(TEST_ECS_DIR),
             'valid_module_classes': module_classes(),
             'validate': False,
         })
 
-        impi_txt = read_file(os.path.join(test_easyconfigs, 'i', 'impi', 'impi-5.1.2.150.eb'))
+        impi_txt = read_file(os.path.join(TEST_ECS_DIR, 'i', 'impi', 'impi-5.1.2.150.eb'))
         self.assertTrue(re.search("^toolchain = SYSTEM", impi_txt, re.M))
-        gzip_txt = read_file(os.path.join(test_easyconfigs, 'g', 'gzip', 'gzip-1.4.eb'))
+        gzip_txt = read_file(os.path.join(TEST_ECS_DIR, 'g', 'gzip', 'gzip-1.4.eb'))
         self.assertTrue(re.search("^toolchain = SYSTEM", gzip_txt, re.M))
 
         barec = os.path.join(self.test_prefix, 'bar-1.2.3-foss-2018a.eb')
@@ -551,8 +551,7 @@ def test_resolve_dependencies_missing(self):
         self.install_mock_module()
         MockModule.avail_modules = []
 
-        test_easyconfigs = os.path.join(os.path.dirname(os.path.abspath(__file__)), 'easyconfigs', 'test_ecs')
-        init_config(build_options={'robot_path': [test_easyconfigs, self.test_prefix]})
+        init_config(build_options={'robot_path': [str(TEST_ECS_DIR), self.test_prefix]})
 
         ec = {
             'ec': {
@@ -615,21 +614,19 @@ def test_det_easyconfig_paths(self):
         fd, dummylogfn = tempfile.mkstemp(prefix='easybuild-dummy', suffix='.log')
         os.close(fd)
 
-        test_ecs_path = os.path.join(os.path.dirname(os.path.abspath(__file__)), 'easyconfigs', 'test_ecs')
-
         test_ec = 'toy-0.0-deps.eb'
-        shutil.copy2(os.path.join(test_ecs_path, 't', 'toy', test_ec), self.test_prefix)
+        shutil.copy2(os.path.join(TEST_ECS_DIR, 't', 'toy', test_ec), self.test_prefix)
         # copy hwloc easyconfig to h/hwloc subdir in robot search path,
         # to trigger bug fixed in det_easyconfig_paths (.extend rather than .append for '__archive'__ to ignore_subdirs)
         hwloc_ec = 'hwloc-1.11.8-GCC-6.4.0-2.28.eb'
         subdir_hwloc = os.path.join(self.test_prefix, 'h', 'hwloc')
         mkdir(subdir_hwloc, parents=True)
-        shutil.copy2(os.path.join(test_ecs_path, 'h', 'hwloc', hwloc_ec), subdir_hwloc)
-        shutil.copy2(os.path.join(test_ecs_path, 'i', 'intel', 'intel-2018a.eb'), self.test_prefix)
+        shutil.copy2(os.path.join(TEST_ECS_DIR, 'h', 'hwloc', hwloc_ec), subdir_hwloc)
+        shutil.copy2(os.path.join(TEST_ECS_DIR, 'i', 'intel', 'intel-2018a.eb'), self.test_prefix)
         self.assertNotExists(test_ec)
 
         args = [
-            os.path.join(test_ecs_path, 't', 'toy', 'toy-0.0.eb'),
+            TOY_EC,
             test_ec,  # relative path, should be resolved via robot search path
             hwloc_ec,
             '--dry-run',
@@ -643,7 +640,7 @@ def test_det_easyconfig_paths(self):
         outtxt = self.eb_main(args, logfile=dummylogfn, raise_error=True)
 
         modules = [
-            (test_ecs_path, 'toy/0.0'),  # specified easyconfigs, available at given location
+            (TEST_ECS_DIR, 'toy/0.0'),  # specified easyconfigs, available at given location
             (self.test_prefix, 'intel/2018a'),  # dependency, found in robot search path
             (self.test_prefix, 'toy/0.0-deps'),  # specified easyconfig, found in robot search path
             (self.test_prefix, 'hwloc/1.11.8-GCC-6.4.0-2.28'),  # specified easyconfig, found in robot search path
@@ -670,9 +667,9 @@ def test_det_easyconfig_paths(self):
         self.assertTrue(regex.search(outtxt), "Found pattern %s in %s" % (regex.pattern, outtxt))
 
         args = [
-            os.path.join(test_ecs_path, 't', 'toy', 'toy-0.0.eb'),
-            os.path.join(test_ecs_path, 't', 'toy', 'toy-0.0-gompi-2018a-test.eb'),
-            os.path.join(test_ecs_path, 't', 'toy', 'toy-0.0-gompi-2018a.eb'),
+            TOY_EC,
+            os.path.join(TEST_ECS_DIR, 't', 'toy', 'toy-0.0-gompi-2018a-test.eb'),
+            os.path.join(TEST_ECS_DIR, 't', 'toy', 'toy-0.0-gompi-2018a.eb'),
             '--dry-run',
             '--robot',
             '--tmpdir=%s' % self.test_prefix,
@@ -691,10 +688,8 @@ def test_search_paths(self):
         fd, dummylogfn = tempfile.mkstemp(prefix='easybuild-dummy', suffix='.log')
         os.close(fd)
 
-        test_ecs_path = os.path.join(os.path.dirname(os.path.abspath(__file__)), 'easyconfigs', 'test_ecs')
-
         test_ec = 'toy-0.0-deps.eb'
-        shutil.copy2(os.path.join(test_ecs_path, 't', 'toy', test_ec), self.test_prefix)
+        shutil.copy2(os.path.join(TEST_ECS_DIR, 't', 'toy', test_ec), self.test_prefix)
         self.assertNotExists(test_ec)
 
         args = [
@@ -715,11 +710,9 @@ def test_github_det_easyconfig_paths_from_commit(self):
         """Test det_easyconfig_paths function in combination with --from-commit."""
         # note: --from-commit does not involve using GitHub API, so no GitHub token required
 
-        test_ecs_path = os.path.join(os.path.dirname(os.path.abspath(__file__)), 'easyconfigs', 'test_ecs')
-
         commit = '589282cf52609067616fc2a522f8e4b81f809cb7'
         args = [
-            os.path.join(test_ecs_path, 't', 'toy', 'toy-0.0.eb'),  # absolute path
+            TOY_EC,  # absolute path
             'toy-0.0-iter.eb',  # relative path, available via robot search path
             # commit in which ReFrame-4.3.2.eb was added,
             # see https://github.com/easybuilders/easybuild-easyconfigs/pull/18763/commits
@@ -727,7 +720,7 @@ def test_github_det_easyconfig_paths_from_commit(self):
             'ReFrame-4.3.2.eb',  # easyconfig included in commit, should be resolved via robot search path
             '--dry-run',
             '--robot',
-            '--robot=%s' % test_ecs_path,
+            '--robot=%s' % TEST_ECS_DIR,
             '--unittest-file=%s' % self.logfile,
             '--tmpdir=%s' % self.test_prefix,
         ]
@@ -760,11 +753,9 @@ def test_github_det_easyconfig_paths_from_pr(self):
         fd, dummylogfn = tempfile.mkstemp(prefix='easybuild-dummy', suffix='.log')
         os.close(fd)
 
-        test_ecs_path = os.path.join(os.path.dirname(os.path.abspath(__file__)), 'easyconfigs', 'test_ecs')
-
         test_ec = 'toy-0.0-deps.eb'
-        shutil.copy2(os.path.join(test_ecs_path, 't', 'toy', test_ec), self.test_prefix)
-        shutil.copy2(os.path.join(test_ecs_path, 'i', 'intel', 'intel-2018a.eb'), self.test_prefix)
+        shutil.copy2(os.path.join(TEST_ECS_DIR, 't', 'toy', test_ec), self.test_prefix)
+        shutil.copy2(os.path.join(TEST_ECS_DIR, 'i', 'intel', 'intel-2018a.eb'), self.test_prefix)
         self.assertNotExists(test_ec)
 
         gompi_2018b_txt = '\n'.join([
@@ -779,7 +770,7 @@ def test_github_det_easyconfig_paths_from_pr(self):
         write_file(os.path.join(self.test_prefix, 'gompi-2018b-test.eb'), gompi_2018b_txt)
 
         args = [
-            os.path.join(test_ecs_path, 't', 'toy', 'toy-0.0.eb'),
+            TOY_EC,
             test_ec,  # relative path, should be resolved via robot search path
             # PR for XCrySDen/1.6.2-foss-2024a, see https://github.com/easybuilders/easybuild-easyconfigs/pull/22227
             '--from-pr=22227',
@@ -815,10 +806,9 @@ def test_github_det_easyconfig_paths_from_pr(self):
 
     def test_get_toolchain_hierarchy(self):
         """Test get_toolchain_hierarchy function."""
-        test_easyconfigs = os.path.join(os.path.dirname(os.path.abspath(__file__)), 'easyconfigs', 'test_ecs')
         init_config(build_options={
             'valid_module_classes': module_classes(),
-            'robot_path': test_easyconfigs,
+            'robot_path': str(TEST_ECS_DIR),
         })
 
         fosscuda_hierarchy = get_toolchain_hierarchy({'name': 'fosscuda', 'version': '2018a'})
@@ -849,7 +839,7 @@ def test_get_toolchain_hierarchy(self):
         # test also --try-toolchain* case, where we want more detailed information
         init_config(build_options={
             'valid_module_classes': module_classes(),
-            'robot_path': test_easyconfigs,
+            'robot_path': str(TEST_ECS_DIR),
         })
 
         get_toolchain_hierarchy.clear()
@@ -965,7 +955,7 @@ def test_get_toolchain_hierarchy(self):
         init_config(build_options={
             'add_system_to_minimal_toolchains': True,
             'valid_module_classes': module_classes(),
-            'robot_path': test_easyconfigs,
+            'robot_path': str(TEST_ECS_DIR),
         })
 
         get_toolchain_hierarchy.clear()
@@ -997,7 +987,7 @@ def test_get_toolchain_hierarchy(self):
         build_options = {
             'add_system_to_minimal_toolchains': True,
             'external_modules_metadata': ConfigObj(),
-            'robot_path': test_easyconfigs,
+            'robot_path': str(TEST_ECS_DIR),
             'valid_module_classes': module_classes(),
         }
         init_config(build_options=build_options)
@@ -1019,13 +1009,13 @@ def test_get_toolchain_hierarchy(self):
 
         # put faulty foss easyconfig in place to test error reporting
         broken_gompi = os.path.join(self.test_prefix, 'gompi-2018a.eb')
-        copy_file(os.path.join(test_easyconfigs, 'g', 'gompi', 'gompi-2018a.eb'), broken_gompi)
+        copy_file(os.path.join(TEST_ECS_DIR, 'g', 'gompi', 'gompi-2018a.eb'), broken_gompi)
         ectxt = read_file(broken_gompi)
         ectxt += "\ndependencies += [('GCC', '4.6.4')]"
         write_file(broken_gompi, ectxt)
         init_config(build_options={
             'valid_module_classes': module_classes(),
-            'robot_path': [self.test_prefix, test_easyconfigs],
+            'robot_path': [self.test_prefix, TEST_ECS_DIR],
         })
         tc = {'name': 'gompi', 'version': '2018a'}
         error_msg = "Multiple versions of GCC found in dependencies of toolchain gompi: 4.6.4, 6.4.0-2.28"
@@ -1116,11 +1106,9 @@ def test_tweak_robotpath(self):
         """Test that the robot correctly resolves the dependencies of tweaked easyconfigs. Tweaked
         easyconfigs take priority, but tweaked dependencies are only used on an as-needed basis"""
 
-        test_easyconfigs = os.path.join(os.path.dirname(os.path.abspath(__file__)), 'easyconfigs', 'test_ecs')
-
         # Create directories to store the tweaked easyconfigs
         tweaked_ecs_paths, extra_ec_paths = alt_easyconfig_paths(self.test_prefix, tweaked_ecs=True)
-        robot_path = det_robot_path([test_easyconfigs], tweaked_ecs_paths, extra_ec_paths, auto_robot=True)
+        robot_path = det_robot_path([TEST_ECS_DIR], tweaked_ecs_paths, extra_ec_paths, auto_robot=True)
 
         init_config(build_options={
             'valid_module_classes': module_classes(),
@@ -1129,7 +1117,7 @@ def test_tweak_robotpath(self):
         })
 
         # Parse the easyconfig that we want to tweak
-        untweaked_openmpi = os.path.join(test_easyconfigs, 'o', 'OpenMPI', 'OpenMPI-2.1.2-GCC-4.6.4.eb')
+        untweaked_openmpi = os.path.join(TEST_ECS_DIR, 'o', 'OpenMPI', 'OpenMPI-2.1.2-GCC-4.6.4.eb')
         easyconfigs, _ = parse_easyconfigs([(untweaked_openmpi, False)])
 
         # Tweak the toolchain version of the easyconfig
@@ -1149,7 +1137,7 @@ def test_tweak_robotpath(self):
         # Check it picks up the tweaked OpenMPI
         self.assertIn(tweaked_openmpi, specs)
         # Check it picks up the untweaked dependency of the tweaked OpenMPI
-        untweaked_hwloc = os.path.join(test_easyconfigs, 'h', 'hwloc', 'hwloc-1.11.8-GCC-6.4.0-2.28.eb')
+        untweaked_hwloc = os.path.join(TEST_ECS_DIR, 'h', 'hwloc', 'hwloc-1.11.8-GCC-6.4.0-2.28.eb')
         self.assertIn(untweaked_hwloc, specs)
         # Check correctness of tweak_map (maps back to the original untweaked file, even for hwloc, where the
         # tweaked version is generated but not used)
@@ -1159,8 +1147,7 @@ def test_tweak_robotpath(self):
     def test_robot_find_subtoolchain_for_dep(self):
         """Test robot_find_subtoolchain_for_dep."""
 
-        test_easyconfigs = os.path.join(os.path.dirname(os.path.abspath(__file__)), 'easyconfigs', 'test_ecs')
-        init_config(build_options={'robot_path': test_easyconfigs})
+        init_config(build_options={'robot_path': TEST_ECS_DIR})
 
         #
         # First test that it can do basic resolution
@@ -1192,7 +1179,7 @@ def test_robot_find_subtoolchain_for_dep(self):
         #
         init_config(build_options={
             'add_system_to_minimal_toolchains': True,
-            'robot_path': test_easyconfigs,
+            'robot_path': str(TEST_ECS_DIR),
         })
         # specify alternative parent toolchain
         gompi_1410 = {'name': 'gompi', 'version': '2018a'}
@@ -1244,7 +1231,7 @@ def test_robot_find_subtoolchain_for_dep(self):
         write_file(barec, barec_txt)
 
         # check without --minimal-toolchains
-        init_config(build_options={'robot_path': test_easyconfigs})
+        init_config(build_options={'robot_path': TEST_ECS_DIR})
         bar = EasyConfig(barec)
 
         expected_dep_versions = {
@@ -1260,7 +1247,7 @@ def test_robot_find_subtoolchain_for_dep(self):
         # check with --minimal-toolchains enabled
         init_config(build_options={
             'minimal_toolchains': True,
-            'robot_path': test_easyconfigs,
+            'robot_path': str(TEST_ECS_DIR),
         })
         bar = EasyConfig(barec)
 
@@ -1294,7 +1281,7 @@ def test_robot_find_subtoolchain_for_dep(self):
         init_config(build_options={
             'minimal_toolchains': True,
             'use_existing_modules': True,
-            'robot_path': test_easyconfigs,
+            'robot_path': str(TEST_ECS_DIR),
         })
 
         # Check gompi is now being picked up
@@ -1315,10 +1302,9 @@ def test_robot_find_subtoolchain_for_dep_ecs_vs_mods(self):
         Test behaviour of robot_find_subtoolchain_for_dep
         w.r.t. picking subtoolchains based on easyconfigs vs modules.
         """
-        test_easyconfigs = os.path.join(os.path.dirname(os.path.abspath(__file__)), 'easyconfigs', 'test_ecs')
 
         # include both test easyconfig files and test directory in robot search path
-        build_options = {'robot_path': [test_easyconfigs, self.test_prefix]}
+        build_options = {'robot_path': [str(TEST_ECS_DIR), self.test_prefix]}
         init_config(build_options=build_options)
 
         test_mods_dir = os.path.join(self.test_prefix, 'modules')
@@ -1399,17 +1385,16 @@ def test_robot_find_subtoolchain_for_dep_ecs_vs_mods(self):
 
     def test_check_conflicts(self):
         """Test check_conflicts function."""
-        test_easyconfigs = os.path.join(os.path.dirname(os.path.abspath(__file__)), 'easyconfigs', 'test_ecs')
         init_config(build_options={
             'force': True,
             'retain_all_deps': True,
-            'robot_path': test_easyconfigs,
+            'robot_path': str(TEST_ECS_DIR),
             'valid_module_classes': module_classes(),
             'validate': False,
         })
 
-        gzip_ec = os.path.join(test_easyconfigs, 'g', 'gzip', 'gzip-1.5-foss-2018a.eb')
-        gompi_ec = os.path.join(test_easyconfigs, 'g', 'gompi', 'gompi-2018a.eb')
+        gzip_ec = os.path.join(TEST_ECS_DIR, 'g', 'gzip', 'gzip-1.5-foss-2018a.eb')
+        gompi_ec = os.path.join(TEST_ECS_DIR, 'g', 'gompi', 'gompi-2018a.eb')
         non_conflict_ecs, _ = parse_easyconfigs([(gzip_ec, False), (gompi_ec, False)])
 
         # no conflicts found, no output to stderr
@@ -1436,7 +1421,7 @@ def test_check_conflicts(self):
         self.assertIn("Conflict found for dependencies of foss-2018a: GCC-4.6.4 vs GCC-6.4.0-2.28", stderr)
 
         # Can also return the text
-        with self.mocked_stdout_stderr(mock_stdout=False) as mocked_stderr:
+        with self.mocked_stderr() as mocked_stderr:
             conflict_lst = check_conflicts(ecs, self.modtool, return_conflicts=True)
             self.assertEqual('\n'.join(conflict_lst), stderr.strip())
             self.assertEqual(mocked_stderr.getvalue(), '')
@@ -1446,8 +1431,8 @@ def test_check_conflicts(self):
 
         # direct conflict on software version
         ecs, _ = parse_easyconfigs([
-            (os.path.join(test_easyconfigs, 'g', 'GCC', 'GCC-6.4.0-2.28.eb'), False),
-            (os.path.join(test_easyconfigs, 'g', 'GCC', 'GCC-4.9.3-2.25.eb'), False),
+            (os.path.join(TEST_ECS_DIR, 'g', 'GCC', 'GCC-6.4.0-2.28.eb'), False),
+            (os.path.join(TEST_ECS_DIR, 'g', 'GCC', 'GCC-4.9.3-2.25.eb'), False),
         ])
         with self.mocked_stderr():
             conflicts = check_conflicts(ecs, self.modtool)
@@ -1458,8 +1443,8 @@ def test_check_conflicts(self):
 
         # indirect conflict on dependencies
         ecs, _ = parse_easyconfigs([
-            (os.path.join(test_easyconfigs, 'b', 'bzip2', 'bzip2-1.0.6-GCC-4.9.2.eb'), False),
-            (os.path.join(test_easyconfigs, 'h', 'hwloc', 'hwloc-1.11.8-GCC-6.4.0-2.28.eb'), False),
+            (os.path.join(TEST_ECS_DIR, 'b', 'bzip2', 'bzip2-1.0.6-GCC-4.9.2.eb'), False),
+            (os.path.join(TEST_ECS_DIR, 'h', 'hwloc', 'hwloc-1.11.8-GCC-6.4.0-2.28.eb'), False),
         ])
         with self.mocked_stderr():
             conflicts = check_conflicts(ecs, self.modtool)
@@ -1472,9 +1457,9 @@ def test_check_conflicts(self):
         self.assertFalse(check_conflicts(ecs, self.modtool, check_inter_ec_conflicts=False), "No conflicts found")
 
         # Conflict in build dependencies is fine
-        hwloc_txt = read_file(os.path.join(test_easyconfigs, 'h', 'hwloc', 'hwloc-1.11.8-GCC-6.4.0-2.28.eb'))
-        gzip_txt = read_file(os.path.join(test_easyconfigs, 'g', 'gzip', 'gzip-1.5-foss-2018a.eb'))
-        bzip_txt = read_file(os.path.join(test_easyconfigs, 'b', 'bzip2', 'bzip2-1.0.6-GCC-4.9.2.eb'))
+        hwloc_txt = read_file(os.path.join(TEST_ECS_DIR, 'h', 'hwloc', 'hwloc-1.11.8-GCC-6.4.0-2.28.eb'))
+        gzip_txt = read_file(os.path.join(TEST_ECS_DIR, 'g', 'gzip', 'gzip-1.5-foss-2018a.eb'))
+        bzip_txt = read_file(os.path.join(TEST_ECS_DIR, 'b', 'bzip2', 'bzip2-1.0.6-GCC-4.9.2.eb'))
         tc = re.search(r"toolchain *=.*", hwloc_txt)[0]
         bzip_txt += f"\n{tc}"
         gzip_txt += f"\n{tc}"
@@ -1495,9 +1480,6 @@ def test_check_conflicts(self):
 
     def test_check_conflicts_wrapper_deps(self):
         """Test check_conflicts when dependency 'wrappers' are involved."""
-        test_easyconfigs = os.path.join(os.path.dirname(os.path.abspath(__file__)), 'easyconfigs', 'test_ecs')
-        toy_ec = os.path.join(test_easyconfigs, 't', 'toy', 'toy-0.0.eb')
-
         wrapper_ec_txt = '\n'.join([
             "easyblock = 'ModuleRC'",
             "name = 'toy'",
@@ -1510,7 +1492,7 @@ def test_check_conflicts_wrapper_deps(self):
         wrapper_ec = os.path.join(self.test_prefix, 'toy-0.eb')
         write_file(wrapper_ec, wrapper_ec_txt)
 
-        ecs, _ = parse_easyconfigs([(toy_ec, False), (wrapper_ec, False)])
+        ecs, _ = parse_easyconfigs([(TOY_EC, False), (wrapper_ec, False)])
         with self.mocked_stderr():
             res = check_conflicts(ecs, self.modtool)
             stderr = self.get_stderr()
@@ -1520,12 +1502,9 @@ def test_check_conflicts_wrapper_deps(self):
 
     def test_check_conflicts_multi_deps(self):
         """Test check_conflicts when multi_deps is used."""
-        test_ecs = os.path.join(os.path.dirname(os.path.abspath(__file__)), 'easyconfigs', 'test_ecs')
-        toy_ec = os.path.join(test_ecs, 't', 'toy', 'toy-0.0.eb')
-
         test_ec = os.path.join(self.test_prefix, 'test.eb')
 
-        test_ec_txt = read_file(toy_ec)
+        test_ec_txt = TOY_EC_TXT
         tc_regex = re.compile(r'^toolchain = .*', re.M)
         test_ec_txt = tc_regex.sub("toolchain = SYSTEM", test_ec_txt)
         test_ec_txt += "\nmulti_deps = {'GCC': ['4.9.2', '7.3.0-2.30']}\n"
@@ -1534,7 +1513,7 @@ def test_check_conflicts_multi_deps(self):
         write_file(test_ec, test_ec_txt)
         ecs, _ = parse_easyconfigs([(test_ec, False)])
 
-        init_config(build_options={'robot_path': [test_ecs]})
+        init_config(build_options={'robot_path': [TEST_ECS_DIR]})
 
         # use of multi_deps should not result in false positives in check_conflicts
         self.assertFalse(check_conflicts(ecs, self.modtool))
@@ -1546,9 +1525,7 @@ def test_robot_archived_easyconfigs(self):
         self.allow_deprecated_behaviour()
         init_config(build_options={'silent': True})
 
-        test_ecs = os.path.join(os.path.dirname(os.path.abspath(__file__)), 'easyconfigs', 'test_ecs')
-
-        gzip_ec = os.path.join(test_ecs, 'g', 'gzip', 'gzip-1.5-intel-2018a.eb')
+        gzip_ec = os.path.join(TEST_ECS_DIR, 'g', 'gzip', 'gzip-1.5-intel-2018a.eb')
         gzip_ectxt = read_file(gzip_ec)
 
         test_ec = os.path.join(self.test_prefix, 'test.eb')
@@ -1563,29 +1540,28 @@ def test_robot_archived_easyconfigs(self):
         # --consider-archived-easyconfigs must be used to let robot pick up archived easyconfigs
         init_config(build_options={
             'consider_archived_easyconfigs': True,
-            'robot_path': [test_ecs],
+            'robot_path': [TEST_ECS_DIR],
             'silent': True,
         })
         res = resolve_dependencies(ecs, self.modtool, retain_all_deps=True)
         self.assertEqual([ec['full_mod_name'] for ec in res], ['intel/2012a', 'gzip/1.5-intel-2012a'])
-        expected = os.path.join(test_ecs, '__archive__', 'i', 'intel', 'intel-2012a.eb')
+        expected = os.path.join(TEST_ECS_DIR, '__archive__', 'i', 'intel', 'intel-2012a.eb')
         self.assertTrue(os.path.samefile(res[0]['spec'], expected))
 
     def test_search_easyconfigs(self):
         """Test search_easyconfigs function."""
-        test_ecs = os.path.join(os.path.dirname(os.path.abspath(__file__)), 'easyconfigs', 'test_ecs')
         init_config(build_options={
-            'robot_path': [test_ecs],
+            'robot_path': [TEST_ECS_DIR],
             'search_paths': [self.test_prefix],
         })
 
         # copy some files to search_paths location
-        copy_file(os.path.join(test_ecs, 'b', 'binutils', 'binutils-2.25-GCCcore-4.9.3.eb'), self.test_prefix)
-        copy_file(os.path.join(test_ecs, 'h', 'hwloc', 'hwloc-1.11.8-GCC-4.6.4.eb'), self.test_prefix)
+        copy_file(os.path.join(TEST_ECS_DIR, 'b', 'binutils', 'binutils-2.25-GCCcore-4.9.3.eb'), self.test_prefix)
+        copy_file(os.path.join(TEST_ECS_DIR, 'h', 'hwloc', 'hwloc-1.11.8-GCC-4.6.4.eb'), self.test_prefix)
 
         paths = search_easyconfigs('binutils-.*-GCCcore-4.9.3', consider_extra_paths=False, print_result=False)
-        ref_paths = [os.path.join(test_ecs, 'b', 'binutils', x) for x in ['binutils-2.25-GCCcore-4.9.3.eb',
-                                                                          'binutils-2.26-GCCcore-4.9.3.eb']]
+        ref_paths = [os.path.join(TEST_ECS_DIR, 'b', 'binutils', x) for x in ['binutils-2.25-GCCcore-4.9.3.eb',
+                                                                              'binutils-2.26-GCCcore-4.9.3.eb']]
         self.assertEqual(len(paths), 2)
         self.assertEqual(paths, ref_paths)
 
@@ -1598,17 +1574,17 @@ def test_search_easyconfigs(self):
 
         paths = search_easyconfigs('8-gcc', consider_extra_paths=False, print_result=False)
         ref_paths = [
-            os.path.join(test_ecs, 'h', 'hwloc', 'hwloc-1.8-gcccuda-2018a.eb'),
-            os.path.join(test_ecs, 'h', 'hwloc', 'hwloc-1.11.8-GCC-4.6.4.eb'),
-            os.path.join(test_ecs, 'h', 'hwloc', 'hwloc-1.11.8-GCC-6.4.0-2.28.eb'),
-            os.path.join(test_ecs, 'h', 'hwloc', 'hwloc-1.11.8-GCC-7.3.0-2.30.eb'),
-            os.path.join(test_ecs, 'o', 'OpenBLAS', 'OpenBLAS-0.2.8-GCC-4.8.2-LAPACK-3.4.2.eb')
+            os.path.join(TEST_ECS_DIR, 'h', 'hwloc', 'hwloc-1.8-gcccuda-2018a.eb'),
+            os.path.join(TEST_ECS_DIR, 'h', 'hwloc', 'hwloc-1.11.8-GCC-4.6.4.eb'),
+            os.path.join(TEST_ECS_DIR, 'h', 'hwloc', 'hwloc-1.11.8-GCC-6.4.0-2.28.eb'),
+            os.path.join(TEST_ECS_DIR, 'h', 'hwloc', 'hwloc-1.11.8-GCC-7.3.0-2.30.eb'),
+            os.path.join(TEST_ECS_DIR, 'o', 'OpenBLAS', 'OpenBLAS-0.2.8-GCC-4.8.2-LAPACK-3.4.2.eb')
         ]
         self.assertEqual(paths, ref_paths)
 
         # now do a case sensitive search
         paths = search_easyconfigs('8-gcc', consider_extra_paths=False, print_result=False, case_sensitive=True)
-        ref_paths = [os.path.join(test_ecs, 'h', 'hwloc', 'hwloc-1.8-gcccuda-2018a.eb')]
+        ref_paths = [os.path.join(TEST_ECS_DIR, 'h', 'hwloc', 'hwloc-1.8-gcccuda-2018a.eb')]
         self.assertEqual(paths, ref_paths)
 
         # test use of filename_only
@@ -1631,7 +1607,7 @@ def test_search_easyconfigs(self):
                 if filename_only:
                     path = ec_fn
                 else:
-                    path = os.path.join('test', 'framework', 'easyconfigs', 'test_ecs', 'b', 'binutils', ec_fn)
+                    path = os.path.join(TEST_ECS_DIR, 'b', 'binutils', ec_fn)
                 pattern.append(r"^ \* .*%s$" % path)
 
             regex = re.compile('\n'.join(pattern), re.M)
diff --git a/test/framework/utilities.py b/test/framework/utilities.py
index b698ea013a..dde290348e 100644
--- a/test/framework/utilities.py
+++ b/test/framework/utilities.py
@@ -38,6 +38,7 @@
 import unittest
 from contextlib import contextmanager
 from importlib import reload
+from pathlib import Path
 
 from easybuild.base import fancylogger
 from easybuild.base.testing import TestCase
@@ -316,7 +317,7 @@ def eb_main(self, args, do_build=False, return_error=False, return_exit_code=Fal
 
         # always run main in unit testing mode (which for example allows for using deprecated toolchains);
         # note: don't change 'args' value, which is passed by reference!
-        main_args = args + ['--unit-testing-mode']
+        main_args = [str(arg) if isinstance(arg, Path) else arg for arg in args] + ['--unit-testing-mode']
 
         myerr = False
         if logfile is None: