diff --git a/tests/IResearch/ExpressionFilter-test.cpp b/tests/IResearch/ExpressionFilter-test.cpp
index 5aa10654ba..d253dae730 100644
--- a/tests/IResearch/ExpressionFilter-test.cpp
+++ b/tests/IResearch/ExpressionFilter-test.cpp
@@ -359,9 +359,8 @@ TEST_CASE("IResearchExpressionFilterTest", "[iresearch][iresearch-expression-fil
   arangodb::velocypack::Builder testData;
   {
     irs::utf8_path resource;
-    resource/=irs::string_ref(IResearch_test_resource_dir);
+    resource/=irs::string_ref(arangodb::tests::testResourceDir);
     resource/=irs::string_ref("simple_sequential.json");
-
     testData = arangodb::basics::VelocyPackHelper::velocyPackFromFile(resource.utf8());
   }
   auto testDataRoot = testData.slice();
diff --git a/tests/IResearch/IResearchIndex-test.cpp b/tests/IResearch/IResearchIndex-test.cpp
index b473f3413c..1cfa207b56 100644
--- a/tests/IResearch/IResearchIndex-test.cpp
+++ b/tests/IResearch/IResearchIndex-test.cpp
@@ -543,7 +543,7 @@ SECTION("test_async_index") {
       try {
         irs::utf8_path resource;
 
-        resource/=irs::string_ref(IResearch_test_resource_dir);
+        resource/=irs::string_ref(arangodb::tests::testResourceDir);
         resource/=irs::string_ref("simple_sequential.json");
         builder = arangodb::basics::VelocyPackHelper::velocyPackFromFile(resource.utf8());
       } catch (...) {
@@ -581,7 +581,7 @@ SECTION("test_async_index") {
       try {
         irs::utf8_path resource;
 
-        resource/=irs::string_ref(IResearch_test_resource_dir);
+        resource/=irs::string_ref(arangodb::tests::testResourceDir);
         resource/=irs::string_ref("simple_sequential.json");
         builder = arangodb::basics::VelocyPackHelper::velocyPackFromFile(resource.utf8());
       } catch (...) {
diff --git a/tests/IResearch/IResearchQueryAggregate-test.cpp b/tests/IResearch/IResearchQueryAggregate-test.cpp
index ea77dfda2c..de111ddb4b 100644
--- a/tests/IResearch/IResearchQueryAggregate-test.cpp
+++ b/tests/IResearch/IResearchQueryAggregate-test.cpp
@@ -215,7 +215,7 @@ TEST_CASE("IResearchQueryTestAggregate", "[iresearch][iresearch-query]") {
     REQUIRE((nullptr != collection));
 
     irs::utf8_path resource;
-    resource/=irs::string_ref(IResearch_test_resource_dir);
+    resource/=irs::string_ref(arangodb::tests::testResourceDir);
     resource/=irs::string_ref("simple_sequential.json");
 
     auto builder = arangodb::basics::VelocyPackHelper::velocyPackFromFile(resource.utf8());
diff --git a/tests/IResearch/IResearchQueryAnd-test.cpp b/tests/IResearch/IResearchQueryAnd-test.cpp
index 04ab4eebcf..58ca20091b 100644
--- a/tests/IResearch/IResearchQueryAnd-test.cpp
+++ b/tests/IResearch/IResearchQueryAnd-test.cpp
@@ -238,7 +238,7 @@ TEST_CASE("IResearchQueryTestAnd", "[iresearch][iresearch-query]") {
     REQUIRE((nullptr != collection));
 
     irs::utf8_path resource;
-    resource/=irs::string_ref(IResearch_test_resource_dir);
+    resource/=irs::string_ref(arangodb::tests::testResourceDir);
     resource/=irs::string_ref("simple_sequential.json");
 
     auto builder = arangodb::basics::VelocyPackHelper::velocyPackFromFile(resource.utf8());
diff --git a/tests/IResearch/IResearchQueryComplexBoolean-test.cpp b/tests/IResearch/IResearchQueryComplexBoolean-test.cpp
index ad61e6336c..5e962d33e2 100644
--- a/tests/IResearch/IResearchQueryComplexBoolean-test.cpp
+++ b/tests/IResearch/IResearchQueryComplexBoolean-test.cpp
@@ -250,7 +250,7 @@ TEST_CASE("IResearchQueryTestComplexBoolean", "[iresearch][iresearch-query]") {
     REQUIRE((nullptr != collection));
 
     irs::utf8_path resource;
-    resource/=irs::string_ref(IResearch_test_resource_dir);
+    resource/=irs::string_ref(arangodb::tests::testResourceDir);
     resource/=irs::string_ref("simple_sequential.json");
 
     auto builder = arangodb::basics::VelocyPackHelper::velocyPackFromFile(resource.utf8());
diff --git a/tests/IResearch/IResearchQueryExists-test.cpp b/tests/IResearch/IResearchQueryExists-test.cpp
index 60d3099a3c..903045a61f 100644
--- a/tests/IResearch/IResearchQueryExists-test.cpp
+++ b/tests/IResearch/IResearchQueryExists-test.cpp
@@ -239,7 +239,7 @@ TEST_CASE("IResearchQueryTestExists", "[iresearch][iresearch-query]") {
     REQUIRE((nullptr != collection));
 
     irs::utf8_path resource;
-    resource/=irs::string_ref(IResearch_test_resource_dir);
+    resource/=irs::string_ref(arangodb::tests::testResourceDir);
     resource/=irs::string_ref("simple_sequential.json");
 
     auto builder = arangodb::basics::VelocyPackHelper::velocyPackFromFile(resource.utf8());
@@ -1497,7 +1497,7 @@ TEST_CASE("IResearchQueryTestExistsStoreMaskPartially", "[iresearch][iresearch-q
     REQUIRE((nullptr != collection));
 
     irs::utf8_path resource;
-    resource/=irs::string_ref(IResearch_test_resource_dir);
+    resource/=irs::string_ref(arangodb::tests::testResourceDir);
     resource/=irs::string_ref("simple_sequential.json");
 
     auto builder = arangodb::basics::VelocyPackHelper::velocyPackFromFile(resource.utf8());
diff --git a/tests/IResearch/IResearchQueryIn-test.cpp b/tests/IResearch/IResearchQueryIn-test.cpp
index 6028092a97..498d21ab16 100644
--- a/tests/IResearch/IResearchQueryIn-test.cpp
+++ b/tests/IResearch/IResearchQueryIn-test.cpp
@@ -218,7 +218,7 @@ TEST_CASE("IResearchQueryTestIn", "[iresearch][iresearch-query]") {
     REQUIRE((nullptr != collection));
 
     irs::utf8_path resource;
-    resource/=irs::string_ref(IResearch_test_resource_dir);
+    resource/=irs::string_ref(arangodb::tests::testResourceDir);
     resource/=irs::string_ref("simple_sequential.json");
 
     auto builder = arangodb::basics::VelocyPackHelper::velocyPackFromFile(resource.utf8());
diff --git a/tests/IResearch/IResearchQueryInRange-test.cpp b/tests/IResearch/IResearchQueryInRange-test.cpp
index d4281e1965..2288f89c49 100644
--- a/tests/IResearch/IResearchQueryInRange-test.cpp
+++ b/tests/IResearch/IResearchQueryInRange-test.cpp
@@ -254,7 +254,7 @@ TEST_CASE("IResearchQueryInRange", "[iresearch][iresearch-query]") {
     collection1 = collection;
 
     irs::utf8_path resource;
-    resource/=irs::string_ref(IResearch_test_resource_dir);
+    resource/=irs::string_ref(arangodb::tests::testResourceDir);
     resource/=irs::string_ref("simple_sequential.json");
 
     auto builder = arangodb::basics::VelocyPackHelper::velocyPackFromFile(resource.utf8());
diff --git a/tests/IResearch/IResearchQueryJoin-test.cpp b/tests/IResearch/IResearchQueryJoin-test.cpp
index 72d25e784e..d053cb6ddf 100644
--- a/tests/IResearch/IResearchQueryJoin-test.cpp
+++ b/tests/IResearch/IResearchQueryJoin-test.cpp
@@ -482,7 +482,7 @@ TEST_CASE("IResearchQueryTestJoinDuplicateDataSource", "[iresearch][iresearch-qu
     // insert into collections
     {
       irs::utf8_path resource;
-      resource/=irs::string_ref(IResearch_test_resource_dir);
+      resource/=irs::string_ref(arangodb::tests::testResourceDir);
       resource/=irs::string_ref("simple_sequential.json");
 
       auto builder = arangodb::basics::VelocyPackHelper::velocyPackFromFile(resource.utf8());
@@ -508,7 +508,7 @@ TEST_CASE("IResearchQueryTestJoinDuplicateDataSource", "[iresearch][iresearch-qu
 
     {
       irs::utf8_path resource;
-      resource/=irs::string_ref(IResearch_test_resource_dir);
+      resource/=irs::string_ref(arangodb::tests::testResourceDir);
       resource/=irs::string_ref("simple_sequential_order.json");
 
       auto builder = arangodb::basics::VelocyPackHelper::velocyPackFromFile(resource.utf8());
@@ -631,7 +631,7 @@ TEST_CASE("IResearchQueryTestJoin", "[iresearch][iresearch-query]") {
     // insert into collections
     {
       irs::utf8_path resource;
-      resource/=irs::string_ref(IResearch_test_resource_dir);
+      resource/=irs::string_ref(arangodb::tests::testResourceDir);
       resource/=irs::string_ref("simple_sequential.json");
 
       auto builder = arangodb::basics::VelocyPackHelper::velocyPackFromFile(resource.utf8());
@@ -657,7 +657,7 @@ TEST_CASE("IResearchQueryTestJoin", "[iresearch][iresearch-query]") {
 
     {
       irs::utf8_path resource;
-      resource/=irs::string_ref(IResearch_test_resource_dir);
+      resource/=irs::string_ref(arangodb::tests::testResourceDir);
       resource/=irs::string_ref("simple_sequential_order.json");
 
       auto builder = arangodb::basics::VelocyPackHelper::velocyPackFromFile(resource.utf8());
diff --git a/tests/IResearch/IResearchQueryNumericTerm-test.cpp b/tests/IResearch/IResearchQueryNumericTerm-test.cpp
index 6b65c929cd..35354528a3 100644
--- a/tests/IResearch/IResearchQueryNumericTerm-test.cpp
+++ b/tests/IResearch/IResearchQueryNumericTerm-test.cpp
@@ -255,7 +255,7 @@ TEST_CASE("IResearchQueryTestNumericTerm", "[iresearch][iresearch-query]") {
     // insert into collections
     {
       irs::utf8_path resource;
-      resource/=irs::string_ref(IResearch_test_resource_dir);
+      resource/=irs::string_ref(arangodb::tests::testResourceDir);
       resource/=irs::string_ref("simple_sequential.json");
 
       auto builder = arangodb::basics::VelocyPackHelper::velocyPackFromFile(resource.utf8());
diff --git a/tests/IResearch/IResearchQueryOptions-test.cpp b/tests/IResearch/IResearchQueryOptions-test.cpp
index bf5ebf928d..2e2f0431d3 100644
--- a/tests/IResearch/IResearchQueryOptions-test.cpp
+++ b/tests/IResearch/IResearchQueryOptions-test.cpp
@@ -283,7 +283,7 @@ TEST_CASE("IResearchQueryTestOptionsCollections", "[iresearch][iresearch-query]"
     // insert into collections
     {
       irs::utf8_path resource;
-      resource/=irs::string_ref(IResearch_test_resource_dir);
+      resource/=irs::string_ref(arangodb::tests::testResourceDir);
       resource/=irs::string_ref("simple_sequential.json");
 
       auto builder = arangodb::basics::VelocyPackHelper::velocyPackFromFile(resource.utf8());
@@ -942,7 +942,7 @@ TEST_CASE("IResearchQueryTestOptionsWaitForSync", "[iresearch][iresearch-query]"
     // insert into collections
     {
       irs::utf8_path resource;
-      resource/=irs::string_ref(IResearch_test_resource_dir);
+      resource/=irs::string_ref(arangodb::tests::testResourceDir);
       resource/=irs::string_ref("simple_sequential.json");
 
       auto builder = arangodb::basics::VelocyPackHelper::velocyPackFromFile(resource.utf8());
diff --git a/tests/IResearch/IResearchQueryOr-test.cpp b/tests/IResearch/IResearchQueryOr-test.cpp
index c3eac2fb1b..494df7b6a0 100644
--- a/tests/IResearch/IResearchQueryOr-test.cpp
+++ b/tests/IResearch/IResearchQueryOr-test.cpp
@@ -279,7 +279,7 @@ TEST_CASE("IResearchQueryTestOr", "[iresearch][iresearch-query]") {
     // insert into collections
     {
       irs::utf8_path resource;
-      resource/=irs::string_ref(IResearch_test_resource_dir);
+      resource/=irs::string_ref(arangodb::tests::testResourceDir);
       resource/=irs::string_ref("simple_sequential.json");
 
       auto builder = arangodb::basics::VelocyPackHelper::velocyPackFromFile(resource.utf8());
diff --git a/tests/IResearch/IResearchQueryPhrase-test.cpp b/tests/IResearch/IResearchQueryPhrase-test.cpp
index cfb2147ebd..c3ba535df9 100644
--- a/tests/IResearch/IResearchQueryPhrase-test.cpp
+++ b/tests/IResearch/IResearchQueryPhrase-test.cpp
@@ -250,7 +250,7 @@ TEST_CASE("IResearchQueryTestPhrase", "[iresearch][iresearch-query]") {
     REQUIRE((nullptr != collection));
 
     irs::utf8_path resource;
-    resource/=irs::string_ref(IResearch_test_resource_dir);
+    resource/=irs::string_ref(arangodb::tests::testResourceDir);
     resource/=irs::string_ref("simple_sequential.json");
 
     auto builder = arangodb::basics::VelocyPackHelper::velocyPackFromFile(resource.utf8());
diff --git a/tests/IResearch/IResearchQueryScorer-test.cpp b/tests/IResearch/IResearchQueryScorer-test.cpp
index c3353314cd..4a3c175429 100644
--- a/tests/IResearch/IResearchQueryScorer-test.cpp
+++ b/tests/IResearch/IResearchQueryScorer-test.cpp
@@ -317,7 +317,7 @@ TEST_CASE("IResearchQueryScorer", "[iresearch][iresearch-query]") {
     // insert into collections
     {
       irs::utf8_path resource;
-      resource/=irs::string_ref(IResearch_test_resource_dir);
+      resource/=irs::string_ref(arangodb::tests::testResourceDir);
       resource/=irs::string_ref("simple_sequential.json");
 
       auto builder = arangodb::basics::VelocyPackHelper::velocyPackFromFile(resource.utf8());
@@ -343,7 +343,7 @@ TEST_CASE("IResearchQueryScorer", "[iresearch][iresearch-query]") {
 
     {
       irs::utf8_path resource;
-      resource/=irs::string_ref(IResearch_test_resource_dir);
+      resource/=irs::string_ref(arangodb::tests::testResourceDir);
       resource/=irs::string_ref("simple_sequential_order.json");
 
       auto builder = arangodb::basics::VelocyPackHelper::velocyPackFromFile(resource.utf8());
diff --git a/tests/IResearch/IResearchQueryStartsWith-test.cpp b/tests/IResearch/IResearchQueryStartsWith-test.cpp
index 23b6af692b..5939e452d6 100644
--- a/tests/IResearch/IResearchQueryStartsWith-test.cpp
+++ b/tests/IResearch/IResearchQueryStartsWith-test.cpp
@@ -244,7 +244,7 @@ TEST_CASE("IResearchQueryTestStartsWith", "[iresearch][iresearch-query]") {
     // insert into collections
     {
       irs::utf8_path resource;
-      resource/=irs::string_ref(IResearch_test_resource_dir);
+      resource/=irs::string_ref(arangodb::tests::testResourceDir);
       resource/=irs::string_ref("simple_sequential.json");
 
       auto builder = arangodb::basics::VelocyPackHelper::velocyPackFromFile(resource.utf8());
diff --git a/tests/IResearch/IResearchQueryStringTerm-test.cpp b/tests/IResearch/IResearchQueryStringTerm-test.cpp
index 4bd1663659..e1e47f2803 100644
--- a/tests/IResearch/IResearchQueryStringTerm-test.cpp
+++ b/tests/IResearch/IResearchQueryStringTerm-test.cpp
@@ -285,7 +285,7 @@ TEST_CASE("IResearchQueryTestStringTerm", "[iresearch][iresearch-query]") {
     // insert into collections
     {
       irs::utf8_path resource;
-      resource/=irs::string_ref(IResearch_test_resource_dir);
+      resource/=irs::string_ref(arangodb::tests::testResourceDir);
       resource/=irs::string_ref("simple_sequential.json");
 
       auto builder = arangodb::basics::VelocyPackHelper::velocyPackFromFile(resource.utf8());
diff --git a/tests/IResearch/IResearchQueryTokens-test.cpp b/tests/IResearch/IResearchQueryTokens-test.cpp
index b2c9874af1..f5409a2f65 100644
--- a/tests/IResearch/IResearchQueryTokens-test.cpp
+++ b/tests/IResearch/IResearchQueryTokens-test.cpp
@@ -244,7 +244,7 @@ TEST_CASE("IResearchQueryTestTokens", "[iresearch][iresearch-query]") {
     REQUIRE((nullptr != collection));
 
     irs::utf8_path resource;
-    resource/=irs::string_ref(IResearch_test_resource_dir);
+    resource/=irs::string_ref(arangodb::tests::testResourceDir);
     resource/=irs::string_ref("simple_sequential.json");
 
     auto builder = arangodb::basics::VelocyPackHelper::velocyPackFromFile(resource.utf8());
diff --git a/tests/IResearch/IResearchQueryTraversal-test.cpp b/tests/IResearch/IResearchQueryTraversal-test.cpp
index cdff8edde1..62094ce175 100644
--- a/tests/IResearch/IResearchQueryTraversal-test.cpp
+++ b/tests/IResearch/IResearchQueryTraversal-test.cpp
@@ -218,7 +218,7 @@ TEST_CASE("IResearchQueryTestTraversal", "[iresearch][iresearch-query]") {
     REQUIRE((nullptr != collection));
 
     irs::utf8_path resource;
-    resource/=irs::string_ref(IResearch_test_resource_dir);
+    resource/=irs::string_ref(arangodb::tests::testResourceDir);
     resource/=irs::string_ref("simple_sequential.json");
 
     auto builder = arangodb::basics::VelocyPackHelper::velocyPackFromFile(resource.utf8());
diff --git a/tests/IResearch/IResearchQueryValue-test.cpp b/tests/IResearch/IResearchQueryValue-test.cpp
index 951cb8121b..95c5b46a8a 100644
--- a/tests/IResearch/IResearchQueryValue-test.cpp
+++ b/tests/IResearch/IResearchQueryValue-test.cpp
@@ -215,7 +215,7 @@ TEST_CASE("IResearchQueryTestValue", "[iresearch][iresearch-query]") {
     REQUIRE((nullptr != collection));
 
     irs::utf8_path resource;
-    resource/=irs::string_ref(IResearch_test_resource_dir);
+    resource/=irs::string_ref(arangodb::tests::testResourceDir);
     resource/=irs::string_ref("simple_sequential.json");
 
     auto builder = arangodb::basics::VelocyPackHelper::velocyPackFromFile(resource.utf8());
diff --git a/tests/IResearch/common.cpp b/tests/IResearch/common.cpp
index af059eac21..511dacb6d7 100644
--- a/tests/IResearch/common.cpp
+++ b/tests/IResearch/common.cpp
@@ -32,9 +32,10 @@
 #include "Aql/ExpressionContext.h"
 #include "Aql/Ast.h"
 #include "Aql/IResearchViewNode.h"
+#include "Basics/files.h"
+#include "Basics/FileUtils.h"
 #include "ClusterEngine/ClusterEngine.h"
 #include "Random/RandomGenerator.h"
-#include "Basics/files.h"
 #include "RestServer/DatabasePathFeature.h"
 #include "V8/v8-utils.h"
 #include "VocBase/KeyGenerator.h"
@@ -50,6 +51,8 @@
 
 #include "search/boolean_filter.hpp"
 
+#include "3rdParty/iresearch/tests/tests_config.hpp"
+
 #include <velocypack/Iterator.h>
 #include <velocypack/Parser.h>
 
@@ -252,10 +255,46 @@ REGISTER_SCORER_JSON(CustomScorer, CustomScorer::make);
 namespace arangodb {
 namespace tests {
 
+std::string testResourceDir;
+
+static void findIResearchTestResources() {
+  std::string toBeFound = basics::FileUtils::buildFilename("3rdParty", "iresearch", "tests", "resources");
+
+  // peek into environment variable first
+  char const* dir = getenv("IRESEARCH_TEST_RESOURCE_DIR");
+  if (dir != nullptr) {
+    // environment variable set, so use it
+    testResourceDir = std::string(dir);
+  } else {
+    // environment variable not set, so try to auto-detect the location
+    testResourceDir = ".";
+    do {
+      if (basics::FileUtils::isDirectory(basics::FileUtils::buildFilename(testResourceDir, toBeFound))) {
+        testResourceDir = basics::FileUtils::buildFilename(testResourceDir, toBeFound);
+        return;
+      }
+      testResourceDir = basics::FileUtils::buildFilename(testResourceDir, "..");
+      if (!basics::FileUtils::isDirectory(testResourceDir)) {
+        testResourceDir = IResearch_test_resource_dir;
+        break;
+      }
+    } while (true);
+  }
+
+  if (!basics::FileUtils::isDirectory(testResourceDir)) {
+    LOG_TOPIC("45f9d", ERR, Logger::FIXME) << "unable to find directory for IResearch test resources. use environment variable IRESEARCH_TEST_RESOURCE_DIR to set it";
+  }
+}
+
 void init(bool withICU /*= false*/) {
   arangodb::transaction::Methods::clearDataSourceRegistrationCallbacks();
   ClusterEngine::Mocking = true;
   arangodb::RandomGenerator::initialize(arangodb::RandomGenerator::RandomType::MERSENNE);
+
+  // try to locate directory for iresearch test resource files
+  if (testResourceDir.empty()) {
+    findIResearchTestResources();
+  }
 }
 
 // @Note: once V8 is initialized all 'CATCH' errors will result in SIGILL
diff --git a/tests/IResearch/common.h b/tests/IResearch/common.h
index 8cc532e67e..5fb15aac28 100644
--- a/tests/IResearch/common.h
+++ b/tests/IResearch/common.h
@@ -62,6 +62,8 @@ class ByExpression;
 
 namespace tests {
 
+extern std::string testResourceDir;
+
 void init(bool withICU = false);
 
 template <typename T, typename U>