diff --git a/src/bin/zonemgr/tests/Makefile.am b/src/bin/zonemgr/tests/Makefile.am
index 8c6b9049cf..b60fae7335 100644
--- a/src/bin/zonemgr/tests/Makefile.am
+++ b/src/bin/zonemgr/tests/Makefile.am
@@ -20,6 +20,7 @@ endif
 	for pytest in $(PYTESTS) ; do \
 	echo Running test: $$pytest ; \
 	$(LIBRARY_PATH_PLACEHOLDER) \
+	TESTDATAOBJDIR=$(abs_top_builddir)/src/bin/zonemgr/tests/ \
 	B10_FROM_BUILD=$(abs_top_builddir) \
 	PYTHONPATH=$(COMMON_PYTHON_PATH):$(abs_top_builddir)/src/bin/zonemgr:$(abs_top_builddir)/src/lib/dns/python/.libs:$(abs_top_builddir)/src/lib/xfr/.libs \
 	$(PYCOVERAGE_RUN) $(abs_srcdir)/$$pytest || exit ; \
diff --git a/src/bin/zonemgr/tests/zonemgr_test.py b/src/bin/zonemgr/tests/zonemgr_test.py
index 29924c81fb..548d921a54 100644
--- a/src/bin/zonemgr/tests/zonemgr_test.py
+++ b/src/bin/zonemgr/tests/zonemgr_test.py
@@ -35,6 +35,8 @@ LOWERBOUND_RETRY = 5
 REFRESH_JITTER = 0.10
 RELOAD_JITTER = 0.75
 
+TEST_SQLITE3_DBFILE = os.getenv("TESTDATAOBJDIR") + '/initdb.file'
+
 class ZonemgrTestException(Exception):
     pass
 
@@ -57,7 +59,7 @@ class FakeCCSession(isc.config.ConfigData, MockModuleCCSession):
 
     def get_remote_config_value(self, module_name, identifier):
         if module_name == "Auth" and identifier == "database_file":
-            return "initdb.file", False
+            return TEST_SQLITE3_DBFILE, False
         else:
             return "unknown", False
 
@@ -81,7 +83,7 @@ class MyZonemgrRefresh(ZonemgrRefresh):
                 return None
         sqlite3_ds.get_zone_soa = get_zone_soa
 
-        ZonemgrRefresh.__init__(self, MySession(), "initdb.file",
+        ZonemgrRefresh.__init__(self, MySession(), TEST_SQLITE3_DBFILE,
                                 self._slave_socket, FakeCCSession())
         current_time = time.time()
         self._zonemgr_refresh_info = {
@@ -99,11 +101,18 @@ class MyZonemgrRefresh(ZonemgrRefresh):
 
 class TestZonemgrRefresh(unittest.TestCase):
     def setUp(self):
+        if os.path.exists(TEST_SQLITE3_DBFILE):
+            os.unlink(TEST_SQLITE3_DBFILE)
         self.stderr_backup = sys.stderr
         sys.stderr = open(os.devnull, 'w')
         self.zone_refresh = MyZonemgrRefresh()
         self.cc_session = FakeCCSession()
 
+    def tearDown(self):
+        if os.path.exists(TEST_SQLITE3_DBFILE):
+            os.unlink(TEST_SQLITE3_DBFILE)
+        sys.stderr = self.stderr_backup
+
     def test_random_jitter(self):
         max = 100025.120
         jitter = 0
@@ -602,13 +611,10 @@ class TestZonemgrRefresh(unittest.TestCase):
                           self.zone_refresh.update_config_data,
                           config, self.cc_session)
 
-    def tearDown(self):
-        sys.stderr= self.stderr_backup
-
 class MyZonemgr(Zonemgr):
 
     def __init__(self):
-        self._db_file = "initdb.file"
+        self._db_file = TEST_SQLITE3_DBFILE
         self._zone_refresh = None
         self._shutdown_event = threading.Event()
         self._cc = MySession()
@@ -628,8 +634,14 @@ class MyZonemgr(Zonemgr):
 class TestZonemgr(unittest.TestCase):
 
     def setUp(self):
+        if os.path.exists(TEST_SQLITE3_DBFILE):
+            os.unlink(TEST_SQLITE3_DBFILE)
         self.zonemgr = MyZonemgr()
 
+    def tearDown(self):
+        if os.path.exists(TEST_SQLITE3_DBFILE):
+            os.unlink(TEST_SQLITE3_DBFILE)
+
     def test_config_handler(self):
         config_data1 = {
                     "lowerbound_refresh" : 60,
@@ -650,8 +662,8 @@ class TestZonemgr(unittest.TestCase):
         self.zonemgr.config_handler(config_data3)
         self.assertEqual(0.5, self.zonemgr._config_data.get("refresh_jitter"))
         # The zone doesn't exist in database, simply skip loading soa for it and log an warning
-        self.zonemgr._zone_refresh = ZonemgrRefresh(None, "initdb.file", None,
-                                                    FakeCCSession())
+        self.zonemgr._zone_refresh = ZonemgrRefresh(None, TEST_SQLITE3_DBFILE,
+                                                    None, FakeCCSession())
         config_data1["secondary_zones"] = [{"name": "nonexistent.example",
                                             "class": "IN"}]
         self.assertEqual(self.zonemgr.config_handler(config_data1),
@@ -663,7 +675,7 @@ class TestZonemgr(unittest.TestCase):
         self.assertEqual(0.1, self.zonemgr._config_data.get("refresh_jitter"))
 
     def test_get_db_file(self):
-        self.assertEqual("initdb.file", self.zonemgr.get_db_file())
+        self.assertEqual(TEST_SQLITE3_DBFILE, self.zonemgr.get_db_file())
 
     def test_parse_cmd_params(self):
         params1 = {"zone_name" : "example.com.", "zone_class" : "CH", "master" : "127.0.0.1"}
@@ -691,9 +703,6 @@ class TestZonemgr(unittest.TestCase):
         self.zonemgr.run()
         self.assertTrue(self.zonemgr._module_cc.stopped)
 
-    def tearDown(self):
-        pass
-
 if __name__== "__main__":
     isc.log.resetUnitTestRootLogger()
     unittest.main()