diff --git a/tests/qemu-iotests/testenv.py b/tests/qemu-iotests/testenv.py
index cd0e39b789..0c3fe75636 100644
--- a/tests/qemu-iotests/testenv.py
+++ b/tests/qemu-iotests/testenv.py
@@ -120,7 +120,7 @@ class TestEnv(ContextManager['TestEnv']):
         try:
             self.sock_dir = os.environ['SOCK_DIR']
             self.tmp_sock_dir = False
-            Path(self.test_dir).mkdir(parents=True, exist_ok=True)
+            Path(self.sock_dir).mkdir(parents=True, exist_ok=True)
         except KeyError:
             self.sock_dir = tempfile.mkdtemp()
             self.tmp_sock_dir = True