diff --git a/.gitignore b/.gitignore
index 0c61b5b79..830a40dea 100644
--- a/.gitignore
+++ b/.gitignore
@@ -360,6 +360,7 @@ Makefile.in
 /php/extension/mkinstalldirs
 /php/extension/missing
 /php/extension/modules/
+/php/extension/php-for-tests.sh
 /php/extension/php_guestfs_php.h
 /php/extension/run-tests.php
 /php/extension/tmp-php.ini
diff --git a/configure.ac b/configure.ac
index 3785ea84f..a01b0de9e 100644
--- a/configure.ac
+++ b/configure.ac
@@ -1595,6 +1595,8 @@ AC_CONFIG_FILES([appliance/libguestfs-make-fixed-appliance],
                 [chmod +x,-w appliance/libguestfs-make-fixed-appliance])
 AC_CONFIG_FILES([inspector/test-xmllint.sh],
                 [chmod +x,-w inspector/test-xmllint.sh])
+AC_CONFIG_FILES([php/extension/php-for-tests.sh],
+                [chmod +x,-w php/extension/php-for-tests.sh])
 AC_CONFIG_FILES([pick-guests.pl],
                 [chmod +x,-w pick-guests.pl])
 AC_CONFIG_FILES([podwrapper.pl],
diff --git a/php/extension/php-for-tests.sh.in b/php/extension/php-for-tests.sh.in
new file mode 100755
index 000000000..0639ce3ad
--- /dev/null
+++ b/php/extension/php-for-tests.sh.in
@@ -0,0 +1,4 @@
+#!/bin/sh
+
+. ./env
+@PHP@ $@
diff --git a/php/run-php-tests.sh b/php/run-php-tests.sh
index 63701e905..6f9ae1033 100755
--- a/php/run-php-tests.sh
+++ b/php/run-php-tests.sh
@@ -45,4 +45,4 @@ TESTS=$(echo guestfs_php_*.phpt)
 echo TESTS: $TESTS
 
 # PHP ignores the result of the tests!
-make test TESTS="$TESTS"
+make test TESTS="$TESTS" PHP_EXECUTABLE="$PWD/php-for-tests.sh"