diff --git a/src/sisl/_environ.py b/src/sisl/_environ.py
index 630c6b67e0..fdfb63dc75 100644
--- a/src/sisl/_environ.py
+++ b/src/sisl/_environ.py
@@ -140,7 +140,7 @@ def _float_or_int(value: Union[str, float, int]):
 
 register_environ_variable(
     "SISL_TMP",
-    ".sisl_tmp",
+    _abs_path(".sisl_tmp"),
     "Path where temporary files should be stored",
     process=_abs_path,
 )
@@ -154,7 +154,7 @@ def _float_or_int(value: Union[str, float, int]):
 
 register_environ_variable(
     "SISL_FILES_TESTS",
-    "_THIS_DIRECTORY_DOES_NOT_EXIST_",
+    _abs_path("_THIS_DIRECTORY_DOES_NOT_EXIST_"),
     dedent(
         """\
                           Full path of the sisl/files folder.