@@ -1545,25 +1545,37 @@
 	      dat
 	      ;; no cached data available
 	      (let* ((treg         (or test-registry
 				       (tests:get-all)))
 		     (test-path    (or (hash-table-ref/default treg test-name #f)
+                                       (let* ((local-tcdir (conc (getenv "MT_LINKTREE") "/"
+                                                                 (getenv "MT_TARGET") "/"
+                                                                 (getenv "MT_RUNNAME") "/"
+                                                                 test-name "/" item-path))
+                                              (local-tcfg (conc local-tcdir "/testconfig")))
+                                         (if (common:file-exists? local-tcfg)
+                                             local-tcdir
+                                             #f))
 				       (conc *toppath* "/tests/" test-name)))
 		     (test-configf (conc test-path "/testconfig"))
-		     (testexists (let loop ((tries-left 7))
-                                   (cond
-                                    ( (and (common:file-exists? test-configf)(file-read-access? test-configf))
-                                      #t)
-                                    ( (common:file-exists? test-configf)
-                                      (debug:print 0 *default-log-port* "WARNING: Cannot read testconfig file: "test-configf)
-                                      #f)
-                                    ( (and wait-a-minute (> tries-left 0))
-                                      (thread-sleep! 10)
-                                      (loop (sub1 tries-left)))
-                                    (else
-                                     (debug:print 0 *default-log-port* "WARNING: testconfig file does not exist: "test-configf)
-                                     #f))))
+		     (testexists   (let loopa ((tries-left 30))
+                                     (cond
+                                      (
+                                       (and (common:file-exists? test-configf)(file-read-access? test-configf))
+                                       #t)
+                                      (
+                                       (common:file-exists? test-configf)
+                                       (debug:print 0 *default-log-port* "WARNING: Cannot read testconfig file: "test-configf)
+                                       #f)
+                                      (
+                                       (and wait-a-minute (> tries-left 0))
+                                       (thread-sleep! 10)
+                                       (debug:print 0 *default-log-port* "WARNING: testconfig file does not exist: "test-configf" will retry in 10 seconds.  Tries left: "tries-left) ;; BB: this fires
+                                       (loopa (sub1 tries-left)))
+                                      (else
+                                       (debug:print 0 *default-log-port* "WARNING: testconfig file does not exist: "test-configf) ;; BB: this fires
+                                       #f))))
 		     (tcfg         (if testexists
 				       (read-config test-configf #f system-allowed
 						    environ-patt: (if system-allowed
 								      "pre-launch-env-vars"
 								      #f))