diff --git a/.github/workflows/tests_scripts.yml b/.github/workflows/tests_scripts.yml
index 4e44351f27..0edaacccf3 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/tests_scripts.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/tests_scripts.yml
@@ -49,6 +49,7 @@ jobs:
 
     - name: list available repos
       run: |
+        export EESSI_REPOS_CFG_DIR_OVERRIDE=${PWD}/repos
         ./eessi_container.sh --list-repos
 
     - name: test load_easybuild_module.sh script
@@ -88,6 +89,7 @@ jobs:
 
           # run wrapper script + capture & check output
           out="${PWD}/eb-${EB_VERSION}.out"
+          export EESSI_REPOS_CFG_DIR_OVERRIDE=${PWD}/repos
           ./eessi_container.sh --access rw --mode run --verbose --repository nessi.no-2023.06-software /software-layer/run_in_compat_layer_env.sh /software-layer/eb-${EB_VERSION}.sh 2>&1 | tee ${out}
           pattern="^This is EasyBuild ${EB_VERSION} "
           grep "${pattern}" ${out} || (echo "Pattern '${pattern}' not found in output!" && exit 1)
@@ -99,6 +101,7 @@ jobs:
           export SINGULARITY_BIND="${PWD}:/software-layer"
           # force using x86_64/generic, to avoid triggering an installation from scratch
           sed -i "s@./EESSI-install-software.sh@\"export EESSI_SOFTWARE_SUBDIR_OVERRIDE='x86_64/generic'; ./EESSI-install-software.sh\"@g" install_software_layer.sh
+          export EESSI_REPOS_CFG_DIR_OVERRIDE=${PWD}/repos
           ./eessi_container.sh --mode run --verbose --repository nessi.no-2023.06-software /software-layer/install_software_layer.sh
 
     - name: test create_directory_tarballs.sh script
@@ -107,6 +110,7 @@ jobs:
           export SINGULARITY_BIND="${PWD}:/software-layer"
           # scripts need to be copied to /tmp,
           # since create_directory_tarballs.sh must be accessible from within build container
+          export EESSI_REPOS_CFG_DIR_OVERRIDE=${PWD}/repos
           ./eessi_container.sh --mode run --verbose --repository nessi.no-2023.06-software /software-layer/create_directory_tarballs.sh 2023.06
           # check if tarballs have been produced
           ls -l *.tar.gz