diff --git a/test/README.md b/test/README.md
index 8d8cec44919720..a290835cb2d4ac 100644
--- a/test/README.md
+++ b/test/README.md
@@ -366,7 +366,7 @@ Synchronous version of `spawnPwd`.
 ### tmpDir
 * return [<String>](https://developer.mozilla.org/en-US/docs/Web/JavaScript/Data_structures#String_type)
 
-Path to the 'tmp' directory.
+The realpath of the 'tmp' directory.
 
 ### tmpDirName
 * return [<String>](https://developer.mozilla.org/en-US/docs/Web/JavaScript/Data_structures#String_type)
diff --git a/test/common.js b/test/common.js
index 9d090d6bb786bb..0306cc2ecacbe6 100644
--- a/test/common.js
+++ b/test/common.js
@@ -10,7 +10,7 @@ const util = require('util');
 const Timer = process.binding('timer_wrap').Timer;
 
 const testRoot = process.env.NODE_TEST_DIR ?
-                   path.resolve(process.env.NODE_TEST_DIR) : __dirname;
+                   fs.realpathSync(process.env.NODE_TEST_DIR) : __dirname;
 
 exports.fixturesDir = path.join(__dirname, 'fixtures');
 exports.tmpDirName = 'tmp';