diff --git a/pressure-vessel/pressure-vessel-test-ui b/pressure-vessel/pressure-vessel-test-ui
index 4bf337ecc87ca536f094e0a048aa31b83b0f2d0f..fa84f93b320261d00082b3bb384a83a8eefa91f0 100755
--- a/pressure-vessel/pressure-vessel-test-ui
+++ b/pressure-vessel/pressure-vessel-test-ui
@@ -172,13 +172,16 @@ class Gui:
 
         if var_path is None:
             value = False
+            var_path = os.getenv('PRESSURE_VESSEL_VARIABLE_DIR', None)
+        else:
+            value = True
+
+        if var_path is None:
             var_path = os.getenv(
                 'PRESSURE_VESSEL_RUNTIME_BASE',
                 os.path.dirname(__file__) + '/../..',
             ) + '/var'
             assert var_path is not None
-        else:
-            value = True
 
         self.var_path = os.path.realpath(var_path)
         self.copy_runtime_into_check = Gtk.CheckButton.new_with_label(