diff --git a/v3/test/configuration_test_framework_test.go b/v3/test/configuration_test_framework_test.go
index 688a2f832..06cc09ff8 100644
--- a/v3/test/configuration_test_framework_test.go
+++ b/v3/test/configuration_test_framework_test.go
@@ -17,6 +17,7 @@ package test
 import (
 	"fmt"
 	"math/rand"
+	"os"
 	"strconv"
 	"sync"
 	"testing"
@@ -27,6 +28,22 @@ import (
 	"github.com/zmap/zlint/v3/lint"
 )
 
+func init() {
+	// This is a complication caused https://github.com/zmap/zlint/issues/696
+	//
+	// This test package required access to the test certificate directory, however
+	// the ReadTestCert testing helper function assumes that your PWD is one of the
+	// lint genre directories.
+	//
+	// ReadTestCert was changed to operate from the root of the repo to accommodate this
+	// test package, however that broke downstream consumers who were dependent on the
+	// relative path building behavior.
+	err := os.Chdir("../lints/rfc")
+	if err != nil {
+		panic(err)
+	}
+}
+
 type caCommonNameMissing struct {
 	BeerHall string
 	Working  *lint.CABFBaselineRequirementsConfig
diff --git a/v3/test/helpers.go b/v3/test/helpers.go
index 1f2428989..12d99adee 100644
--- a/v3/test/helpers.go
+++ b/v3/test/helpers.go
@@ -17,13 +17,10 @@ package test
 // Contains resources necessary to the Unit Test Cases
 
 import (
-	"bytes"
 	"encoding/pem"
 	"fmt"
 	"os"
 
-	"os/exec"
-	"path"
 	"strings"
 
 	"github.com/zmap/zcrypto/x509"
@@ -37,6 +34,7 @@ import (
 // Important: TestLint is only appropriate for unit tests. It will panic if the
 // lintName is not known or if the testCertFilename can not be loaded, or if the
 // lint result is nil.
+//
 //nolint:revive
 func TestLint(lintName string, testCertFilename string) *lint.LintResult {
 	return TestLintWithConfig(lintName, testCertFilename, "")
@@ -56,6 +54,7 @@ func TestLintWithConfig(lintName string, testCertFilename string, configuration
 //
 // Important: TestLintCert is only appropriate for unit tests. It will panic if
 // the lintName is not known or if the lint result is nil.
+//
 //nolint:revive
 func TestLintCert(lintName string, cert *x509.Certificate, ctx lint.Configuration) *lint.LintResult {
 	l := lint.GlobalRegistry().ByName(lintName)
@@ -75,24 +74,13 @@ func TestLintCert(lintName string, cert *x509.Certificate, ctx lint.Configuratio
 	return res
 }
 
-var testDir = ""
-
 // ReadTestCert loads a x509.Certificate from the given inPath which is assumed
 // to be relative to `testdata/`.
 //
 // Important: ReadTestCert is only appropriate for unit tests. It will panic if
 // the inPath file can not be loaded.
 func ReadTestCert(inPath string) *x509.Certificate {
-	if testDir == "" {
-		cmd := exec.Command("git", "rev-parse", "--show-toplevel")
-		out, err := cmd.CombinedOutput()
-		if err != nil {
-			panic(fmt.Sprintf("error when attempting to find the root directory of the repository: %v, output: '%s'", err, out))
-		}
-		testDir = path.Join(string(bytes.TrimSpace(out)), "v3", "testdata")
-	}
-	fullPath := path.Join(testDir, inPath)
-
+	fullPath := fmt.Sprintf("../../testdata/%s", inPath)
 	data, err := os.ReadFile(fullPath)
 	if err != nil {
 		panic(fmt.Sprintf(