diff --git a/tests/qemu-iotests/235 b/tests/qemu-iotests/235
index 8aed45f9a7..4de920c380 100755
--- a/tests/qemu-iotests/235
+++ b/tests/qemu-iotests/235
@@ -24,8 +24,6 @@ import os
 import iotests
 from iotests import qemu_img_create, qemu_io, file_path, log
 
-sys.path.append(os.path.join(os.path.dirname(__file__), '..', '..', 'python'))
-
 from qemu.machine import QEMUMachine
 
 iotests.script_initialize(supported_fmts=['qcow2'])
diff --git a/tests/qemu-iotests/297 b/tests/qemu-iotests/297
index b04cba5366..467b712280 100755
--- a/tests/qemu-iotests/297
+++ b/tests/qemu-iotests/297
@@ -68,12 +68,6 @@ def run_linters():
     # Todo notes are fine, but fixme's or xxx's should probably just be
     # fixed (in tests, at least)
     env = os.environ.copy()
-    qemu_module_path = os.path.join(os.path.dirname(__file__),
-                                    '..', '..', 'python')
-    try:
-        env['PYTHONPATH'] += os.pathsep + qemu_module_path
-    except KeyError:
-        env['PYTHONPATH'] = qemu_module_path
     subprocess.run(('pylint-3', '--score=n', '--notes=FIXME,XXX', *files),
                    env=env, check=False)
 
diff --git a/tests/qemu-iotests/300 b/tests/qemu-iotests/300
index fe94de84ed..10f9f2a8da 100755
--- a/tests/qemu-iotests/300
+++ b/tests/qemu-iotests/300
@@ -24,11 +24,10 @@ import random
 import re
 from typing import Dict, List, Optional
 
+from qemu.machine import machine
+
 import iotests
 
-# Import qemu after iotests.py has amended sys.path
-# pylint: disable=wrong-import-order
-from qemu.machine import machine
 
 BlockBitmapMapping = List[Dict[str, object]]
 
diff --git a/tests/qemu-iotests/iotests.py b/tests/qemu-iotests/iotests.py
index ce06cf5630..b06ad76e0c 100644
--- a/tests/qemu-iotests/iotests.py
+++ b/tests/qemu-iotests/iotests.py
@@ -36,8 +36,6 @@ import unittest
 
 from contextlib import contextmanager
 
-# pylint: disable=import-error, wrong-import-position
-sys.path.append(os.path.join(os.path.dirname(__file__), '..', '..', 'python'))
 from qemu.machine import qtest
 from qemu.qmp import QMPMessage
 
diff --git a/tests/qemu-iotests/testenv.py b/tests/qemu-iotests/testenv.py
index 70da0d60c8..99a57a69f3 100644
--- a/tests/qemu-iotests/testenv.py
+++ b/tests/qemu-iotests/testenv.py
@@ -108,12 +108,15 @@ class TestEnv(ContextManager['TestEnv']):
              SAMPLE_IMG_DIR
              OUTPUT_DIR
         """
-        self.pythonpath = os.getenv('PYTHONPATH')
-        if self.pythonpath:
-            self.pythonpath = self.source_iotests + os.pathsep + \
-                self.pythonpath
-        else:
-            self.pythonpath = self.source_iotests
+
+        # Path where qemu goodies live in this source tree.
+        qemu_srctree_path = Path(__file__, '../../../python').resolve()
+
+        self.pythonpath = os.pathsep.join(filter(None, (
+            self.source_iotests,
+            str(qemu_srctree_path),
+            os.getenv('PYTHONPATH'),
+        )))
 
         self.test_dir = os.getenv('TEST_DIR',
                                   os.path.join(os.getcwd(), 'scratch'))
diff --git a/tests/qemu-iotests/tests/mirror-top-perms b/tests/qemu-iotests/tests/mirror-top-perms
index 2fc8dd66e0..73138a0ef9 100755
--- a/tests/qemu-iotests/tests/mirror-top-perms
+++ b/tests/qemu-iotests/tests/mirror-top-perms
@@ -20,13 +20,12 @@
 #
 
 import os
+
+import qemu
+
 import iotests
 from iotests import qemu_img
 
-# Import qemu after iotests.py has amended sys.path
-# pylint: disable=wrong-import-order
-import qemu
-
 
 image_size = 1 * 1024 * 1024
 source = os.path.join(iotests.test_dir, 'source.img')