Index: common.scm
==================================================================
--- common.scm
+++ common.scm
@@ -7,11 +7,11 @@
 ;;  This program is distributed WITHOUT ANY WARRANTY; without even the
 ;;  implied warranty of MERCHANTABILITY or FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR
 ;;  PURPOSE.
 ;;======================================================================
 
-(use sqlite3 srfi-1 posix regex-case base64 format dot-locking csv-xml)
+(use sqlite3 srfi-1 posix regex-case base64 format dot-locking csv-xml posix-extras)
 (require-extension sqlite3 regex posix)
 
 (require-extension (srfi 18) extras tcp rpc)
 
 (import (prefix sqlite3 sqlite3:))
@@ -110,37 +110,42 @@
 		(let ((match (string-search load-rx l)))
 		  (if match
 		      (let ((newval (string->number (cadr match))))
 			(if (number? newval)
 			    (set! cpu-load newval))))))
-	      (car load-res))
+              (car load-res))
     cpu-load))
 
 (define (get-uname . params)
   (let* ((uname-res (cmd-run->list (conc "uname " (if (null? params) "-a" (car params)))))
 	 (uname #f))
     (if (null? (car uname-res))
 	"unknown"
 	(caar uname-res))))
 	      
-(define (save-environment-as-files fname)
+;; filter is a list of vars to not save
+;; override is an alist of vars value pairs to override
+(define (save-environment-as-files fname #!key (flst '())(overrides '()))
   (let ((envvars (get-environment-variables))
-        (whitesp (regexp "[^a-zA-Z0-9_\\-:;,.\\/%$]")))
-     (with-output-to-file (conc fname ".csh")
-       (lambda ()
-          (for-each (lambda (key)
-                      (let* ((val (cdr key))
-                             (sval (if (string-search whitesp val)(conc "\"" val "\"") val)))
-                        (print "setenv " (car key) " " sval)))
-                     envvars)))
-     (with-output-to-file (conc fname ".sh")
-       (lambda ()
-          (for-each (lambda (key)
-                      (let* ((val (cdr key))
-                             (sval (if (string-search whitesp val)(conc "\"" val "\"") val)))
-                         (print "export " (car key) "=" sval)))
-                    envvars)))))
+        (whitesp (regexp "[^a-zA-Z0-9_\\-:;,.\\/%$]"))
+	(cshport (open-output-file (conc fname ".csh")))
+	(bshport (open-output-file (conc fname ".sh"))))
+    (for-each (lambda (key)
+		(let* ((val (cdr key))
+		       (var (car key))
+		       (sval (if (assoc var overrides)
+				 (cadr (assoc var overrides))
+				 (if (string-search whitesp val)(conc "\"" val "\"") val))))
+		  (if (not (member var flst))
+		      (begin
+			(with-output-to-port cshport
+			  (lambda ()
+			    (print "setenv " (car key) " " sval)))
+			(with-output-to-port bshport
+			  (lambda ()
+			    (print "export " (car key) "=" sval)))))))
+	      envvars)))
 
 ;; set some env vars from an alist, return an alist with original values
 ;; (("VAR" "value") ...)
 (define (alist->env-vars lst)
   (if (list? lst)

Index: launch.scm
==================================================================
--- launch.scm
+++ launch.scm
@@ -104,11 +104,15 @@
 	  (set-run-config-vars db run-id)
 	  ;; environment overrides are done *before* the remaining critical envars.
 	  (alist->env-vars env-ovrd)
 	  (set-megatest-env-vars db run-id)
 	  (set-item-env-vars itemdat)
-	  (save-environment-as-files "megatest")
+	  (save-environment-as-files "megatest" 
+				     flst:      '("DISPLAY")
+				     overrides: (if (config-lookup *configdat* "setup" "homedir")
+						    (list (list "HOME" (config-lookup *configdat* "setup" "homedir"))
+						    (list (list "HOME" work-area)))))
 	  (test-set-meta-info db run-id test-name itemdat)
 	  (test-set-status! db test-id "REMOTEHOSTSTART" "n/a" (args:get-arg "-m") #f)
 	  (if (args:get-arg "-xterm")
 	      (set! fullrunscript "xterm")
 	      (if (and fullrunscript (not (file-execute-access? fullrunscript)))
@@ -354,10 +358,17 @@
   (set! *configdat*  (if (car *configinfo*)(car *configinfo*) #f))
   (set! *toppath*    (if (car *configinfo*)(cadr *configinfo*) #f))
   (if *toppath*
       (setenv "MT_RUN_AREA_HOME" *toppath*) ;; to be deprecated
       (debug:print 0 "ERROR: failed to find the top path to your run setup."))
+  ;; here we extract the path to the megatest executable and append it to the path
+  (let ((path (pathname-directory (car (argv)))))
+    (if path
+	(setenv "PATH" (conc
+			(get-environment-variable "PATH")
+			":"
+			(posix-extras#resolve-pathname path)))))
   *toppath*)
 
 (define (get-best-disk confdat)
   (let* ((disks    (hash-table-ref/default confdat "disks" #f))
 	 (best     #f)

Index: tests/fullrun/config/mt_include_1.config
==================================================================
--- tests/fullrun/config/mt_include_1.config
+++ tests/fullrun/config/mt_include_1.config
@@ -1,9 +1,13 @@
 [setup]
 # exectutable /path/to/megatest
 max_concurrent_jobs 200
 linktree /tmp/mt_links
+# homedir overrides the $HOME environment variable. 
+# if unset $HOME is set to the test run dir ($MT_TEST_RUN_DIR)
+# use #{getenv HOME} to use the normal Unix home
+# homedir #{getenv HOME}
 
 [jobtools]
 useshell yes
 # ## launcher launches jobs, the job is managed on the target host
 ## by megatest, comment out launcher to run local