diff --git a/picard/util/pipe.py b/picard/util/pipe.py
index 88a5fffbf..327329c0b 100644
--- a/picard/util/pipe.py
+++ b/picard/util/pipe.py
@@ -135,9 +135,9 @@ class Pipe:
             self.__BROKEN_PIPE_ERROR_CODE: int = 109
         # mocking for test purposes
         elif self.__is_mac:
-            self.PIPE_MAC_DIR = os.path.join(os.environ.get("HOME", "."), self.PIPE_MAC_DIR)
+            self.PIPE_MAC_DIR = os.path.join(os.environ.get("HOME", "/tmp/test_dir"), self.PIPE_MAC_DIR)
         else:
-            self.PIPE_UNIX_FALLBACK_DIR = os.path.join(os.environ.get("HOME", "."), self.PIPE_UNIX_FALLBACK_DIR)
+            self.PIPE_UNIX_FALLBACK_DIR = os.path.join(os.environ.get("HOME", "/tmp/test_dir"), self.PIPE_UNIX_FALLBACK_DIR)
 
         self.path: str = self.__generate_filename(app_name, app_version)
 
diff --git a/test/test_util_pipe.py b/test/test_util_pipe.py
index 6719377da..f649b85a6 100644
--- a/test/test_util_pipe.py
+++ b/test/test_util_pipe.py
@@ -82,9 +82,11 @@ class TestPipe(PicardTestCase):
     def test_filename_generation_unix(self):
         handler = pipe.Pipe(PICARD_APP_NAME, PICARD_FANCY_VERSION_STR)
         UNIX_PATHS = {
-            join(handler.PIPE_UNIX_DIR, self.SUFFIX),
             join(handler.PIPE_UNIX_FALLBACK_DIR, self.SUFFIX)
         }
+        # None guard
+        if handler.PIPE_UNIX_DIR:
+            UNIX_PATHS.add(handler.PIPE_UNIX_DIR)
         self.assertIn(handler.path, UNIX_PATHS)
 
     def test_pipe_protocol(self):