diff --git a/bin/tests/system/start.pl b/bin/tests/system/start.pl
index 3ac94af92c..d0365ca08a 100755
--- a/bin/tests/system/start.pl
+++ b/bin/tests/system/start.pl
@@ -213,6 +213,7 @@ sub start_server {
 			print "I:$test:Couldn't start server $command (pid=$child)\n";
 			print "I:$test:failed\n";
 			system "kill -9 $child" if ("$child" ne "");
+			chdir "$testdir";
 			system "$PERL $topdir/stop.pl $test";
 			exit 1;
 		}