diff --git a/.gitlab-ci.yml b/.gitlab-ci.yml
index cddadc3b0..f82f34900 100644
--- a/.gitlab-ci.yml
+++ b/.gitlab-ci.yml
@@ -518,6 +518,7 @@ build-wayland-only@x86_64:
         ./src/tests/meta-dbus-runner.py
           --launch=pipewire
           --launch=wireplumber
+          --
           meson test
             -C build
             --setup plain
@@ -680,6 +681,7 @@ dist-mutter:
         ./src/tests/meta-dbus-runner.py
           --launch=pipewire
           --launch=wireplumber
+          --
           meson dist -C build
   artifacts:
     expire_in: 7 day
diff --git a/src/tests/kvm/meson.build b/src/tests/kvm/meson.build
index 94de0db97..9206dbf69 100644
--- a/src/tests/kvm/meson.build
+++ b/src/tests/kvm/meson.build
@@ -50,7 +50,7 @@ foreach test_case: privileged_tests
     args: [
       kernel_image_path,
       meta_dbus_runner.full_path(),
-      '--kvm',
+      '--kvm --',
       meson.current_build_dir(),
       vm_env,
       kvm_wrapper,
diff --git a/src/tests/kvm/virtme-run.sh b/src/tests/kvm/virtme-run.sh
index d712864e0..3ec8099e2 100755
--- a/src/tests/kvm/virtme-run.sh
+++ b/src/tests/kvm/virtme-run.sh
@@ -40,6 +40,10 @@ SCRIPT="\
   $(printf "\"%s\" " "${@:6}")\
 "
 
+if [ -v "$MUTTER_TEST_ROOT" ]; then
+  ISOLATE_DIRS_ARGS="--rwdir=$MUTTER_TEST_ROOT"
+fi
+
 echo Running tests in virtual machine ...
 virtme-run \
   --memory=1024M \
@@ -47,6 +51,7 @@ virtme-run \
   --pwd \
   --kimg "$IMAGE" \
   --script-sh "sh -c \"$SCRIPT\"" \
+  $ISOLATE_DIRS_ARGS \
   --qemu-opts -cpu host,pdcm=off -smp 2
 VM_RESULT=$?
 if [ $VM_RESULT != 0 ]; then
diff --git a/src/tests/mutter_dbusrunner.py b/src/tests/mutter_dbusrunner.py
index 2954d09e8..8d5893b16 100644
--- a/src/tests/mutter_dbusrunner.py
+++ b/src/tests/mutter_dbusrunner.py
@@ -8,6 +8,7 @@ import subprocess
 import getpass
 import argparse
 import logind_helpers
+import tempfile
 from collections import OrderedDict
 from dbusmock import DBusTestCase
 from dbus.mainloop.glib import DBusGMainLoop
@@ -286,12 +287,38 @@ def meta_run(klass):
     parser = argparse.ArgumentParser()
     parser.add_argument('--kvm', action='store_true', default=False)
     parser.add_argument('--launch', action='append', default=[])
+    parser.add_argument('--no-isolate-dirs', action='store_true', default=False)
     (args, rest) = parser.parse_known_args(sys.argv)
 
     rest.pop(0)
+    if not rest:
+        parser.error('Command or separator `--` not found')
     if rest[0] == '--':
-      rest.pop(0)
+        rest.pop(0)
+    else:
+        print('WARNING: Command or separator `--` not found', file=sys.stderr)
 
+    if args.no_isolate_dirs:
+        return meta_run_klass(klass, args, rest)
+
+    test_root = os.getenv('MUTTER_DBUS_RUNNER_TEST_ROOT')
+    if test_root:
+        print('Reusing MUTTER_DBUS_RUNNER_TEST_ROOT', test_root, file=sys.stderr)
+        return meta_run_klass(klass, args, rest)
+
+    with tempfile.TemporaryDirectory(prefix='mutter-testroot-',
+                                     ignore_cleanup_errors=True) as test_root:
+        env_dirs = ['HOME', 'TMPDIR', 'XDG_RUNTIME_DIR', 'XDG_CONFIG_DIR']
+        os.environ['MUTTER_DBUS_RUNNER_TEST_ROOT'] = test_root
+        print('Setup MUTTER_DBUS_RUNNER_TEST_ROOT as', test_root, file=sys.stderr)
+        for env_dir in env_dirs:
+            directory = os.path.join(test_root, env_dir.lower())
+            os.mkdir(directory, mode=0o700)
+            os.environ[env_dir] = directory
+            print('Setup', env_dir, 'as', directory, file=sys.stderr)
+        return meta_run_klass(klass, args, rest)
+
+def meta_run_klass(klass, args, rest):
     result = 1
 
     if os.getenv('META_DBUS_RUNNER_ACTIVE') == None: