diff --git a/roles/fetch-subunit-output/README.rst b/roles/fetch-subunit-output/README.rst
index 1d9c992bb..283b1d786 100644
--- a/roles/fetch-subunit-output/README.rst
+++ b/roles/fetch-subunit-output/README.rst
@@ -3,9 +3,9 @@ Collect subunit outputs
 **Role Variables**
 
 .. zuul:rolevar:: zuul_work_dir
-   :default: {{ zuul.project.src_dir }}
+   :default: {{ ansible_user_dir }}/{{ zuul.project.src_dir }}
 
-   Directory to work in
+   Directory to work in. It has to be a fully qualified path.
 
 .. zuul:rolevar:: tox_envlist
 
diff --git a/roles/fetch-subunit-output/defaults/main.yaml b/roles/fetch-subunit-output/defaults/main.yaml
index 95a9e3b77..8cc97ff70 100644
--- a/roles/fetch-subunit-output/defaults/main.yaml
+++ b/roles/fetch-subunit-output/defaults/main.yaml
@@ -1,3 +1,3 @@
 ---
 tox_envlist: ""
-zuul_work_dir: "{{ zuul.project.src_dir }}"
+zuul_work_dir: "{{ ansible_user_dir }}/{{ zuul.project.src_dir }}"
diff --git a/roles/fetch-subunit-output/tasks/process.yaml b/roles/fetch-subunit-output/tasks/process.yaml
index e8eda69cc..71edd0aef 100644
--- a/roles/fetch-subunit-output/tasks/process.yaml
+++ b/roles/fetch-subunit-output/tasks/process.yaml
@@ -10,7 +10,7 @@
 - name: Find subunit files
   find:
     paths:
-      - "{{ ansible_user_dir }}/{{ zuul_work_dir }}"
+      - "{{ zuul_work_dir }}"
     patterns:
       - testr_results.html
       - testrepository.subunit