diff --git a/src/test/meson.build b/src/test/meson.build
index 4f079876c4..57f76559a7 100644
--- a/src/test/meson.build
+++ b/src/test/meson.build
@@ -42,7 +42,8 @@ tests += [
          [],
          []],
 
-        [['src/test/test-engine.c'],
+        [['src/test/test-engine.c',
+          'src/test/test-helper.c'],
          [libcore,
           libudev,
           libsystemd_internal],
@@ -105,7 +106,8 @@ tests += [
          [],
          'ENABLE_EFI'],
 
-        [['src/test/test-unit-name.c'],
+        [['src/test/test-unit-name.c',
+          'src/test/test-helper.c'],
          [libcore,
           libshared],
          [threads,
@@ -115,7 +117,8 @@ tests += [
           libmount,
           libblkid]],
 
-        [['src/test/test-unit-file.c'],
+        [['src/test/test-unit-file.c',
+          'src/test/test-helper.c'],
          [libcore,
           libshared],
          [threads,
@@ -456,7 +459,8 @@ tests += [
          '', 'manual'],
 
 
-        [['src/test/test-cgroup-mask.c'],
+        [['src/test/test-cgroup-mask.c',
+          'src/test/test-helper.c'],
          [libcore,
           libshared],
          [threads,
@@ -486,7 +490,8 @@ tests += [
          [],
          []],
 
-        [['src/test/test-path.c'],
+        [['src/test/test-path.c',
+          'src/test/test-helper.c'],
          [libcore,
           libshared],
          [threads,
@@ -496,7 +501,8 @@ tests += [
           libmount,
           libblkid]],
 
-        [['src/test/test-execute.c'],
+        [['src/test/test-execute.c',
+          'src/test/test-helper.c'],
          [libcore,
           libshared],
          [threads,
@@ -524,7 +530,8 @@ tests += [
          [],
          []],
 
-        [['src/test/test-sched-prio.c'],
+        [['src/test/test-sched-prio.c',
+          'src/test/test-helper.c'],
          [libcore,
           libshared],
          [threads,
diff --git a/src/test/test-cgroup-mask.c b/src/test/test-cgroup-mask.c
index b42088c680..4a13d710dc 100644
--- a/src/test/test-cgroup-mask.c
+++ b/src/test/test-cgroup-mask.c
@@ -34,6 +34,8 @@ static int test_cgroup_mask(void) {
         FDSet *fdset = NULL;
         int r;
 
+        enter_cgroup_subroot();
+
         /* Prepare the manager. */
         assert_se(set_unit_path(get_testdata_dir("")) >= 0);
         assert_se(runtime_dir = setup_fake_runtime_dir());
diff --git a/src/test/test-engine.c b/src/test/test-engine.c
index 8133343fb3..b5d3da0d38 100644
--- a/src/test/test-engine.c
+++ b/src/test/test-engine.c
@@ -37,6 +37,8 @@ int main(int argc, char *argv[]) {
         Job *j;
         int r;
 
+        enter_cgroup_subroot();
+
         /* prepare the test */
         assert_se(set_unit_path(get_testdata_dir("")) >= 0);
         assert_se(runtime_dir = setup_fake_runtime_dir());
diff --git a/src/test/test-execute.c b/src/test/test-execute.c
index 29c8fd613f..ac2cdd50ed 100644
--- a/src/test/test-execute.c
+++ b/src/test/test-execute.c
@@ -526,6 +526,8 @@ int main(int argc, char *argv[]) {
                 return EXIT_TEST_SKIP;
         }
 
+        enter_cgroup_subroot();
+
         assert_se(setenv("XDG_RUNTIME_DIR", "/tmp/", 1) == 0);
         assert_se(set_unit_path(get_testdata_dir("/test-execute")) >= 0);
 
diff --git a/src/test/test-helper.c b/src/test/test-helper.c
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..5b707c3276
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/test/test-helper.c
@@ -0,0 +1,41 @@
+/***
+  This file is part of systemd.
+
+  Copyright 2017 Lennart Poettering
+
+  systemd is free software; you can redistribute it and/or modify it
+  under the terms of the GNU Lesser General Public License as published by
+  the Free Software Foundation; either version 2.1 of the License, or
+  (at your option) any later version.
+
+  systemd is distributed in the hope that it will be useful, but
+  WITHOUT ANY WARRANTY; without even the implied warranty of
+  MERCHANTABILITY or FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE. See the GNU
+  Lesser General Public License for more details.
+
+  You should have received a copy of the GNU Lesser General Public License
+  along with systemd; If not, see <http://www.gnu.org/licenses/>.
+***/
+
+#include "test-helper.h"
+#include "random-util.h"
+#include "alloc-util.h"
+#include "cgroup-util.h"
+
+void enter_cgroup_subroot(void) {
+        _cleanup_free_ char *cgroup_root = NULL, *cgroup_subroot = NULL;
+        CGroupMask supported;
+
+        assert_se(cg_pid_get_path(NULL, 0, &cgroup_root) >= 0);
+        assert_se(asprintf(&cgroup_subroot, "%s/%" PRIx64, cgroup_root, random_u64()) >= 0);
+        assert_se(cg_mask_supported(&supported) >= 0);
+
+        /* If this fails, then we don't mind as the later cgroup operations will fail too, and it's fine if we handle
+         * any errors at that point. */
+
+        if (cg_create_everywhere(supported, _CGROUP_MASK_ALL, cgroup_subroot) < 0)
+                return;
+
+        if (cg_attach_everywhere(supported, cgroup_subroot, 0, NULL, NULL) < 0)
+                return;
+}
diff --git a/src/test/test-helper.h b/src/test/test-helper.h
index ddb10f88fd..8af32c8744 100644
--- a/src/test/test-helper.h
+++ b/src/test/test-helper.h
@@ -39,3 +39,5 @@
                -ENOENT,                                         \
                -ENOMEDIUM /* cannot determine cgroup */         \
                )
+
+void enter_cgroup_subroot(void);
diff --git a/src/test/test-path.c b/src/test/test-path.c
index 70ac6b3df3..6fc3f79d80 100644
--- a/src/test/test-path.c
+++ b/src/test/test-path.c
@@ -45,6 +45,8 @@ static int setup_test(Manager **m) {
 
         assert_se(m);
 
+        enter_cgroup_subroot();
+
         r = manager_new(UNIT_FILE_USER, true, &tmp);
         if (MANAGER_SKIP_TEST(r)) {
                 log_notice_errno(r, "Skipping test: manager_new: %m");
diff --git a/src/test/test-sched-prio.c b/src/test/test-sched-prio.c
index 81d9abc2d5..062a02baf5 100644
--- a/src/test/test-sched-prio.c
+++ b/src/test/test-sched-prio.c
@@ -34,6 +34,8 @@ int main(int argc, char *argv[]) {
         FDSet *fdset = NULL;
         int r;
 
+        enter_cgroup_subroot();
+
         /* prepare the test */
         assert_se(set_unit_path(get_testdata_dir("")) >= 0);
         assert_se(runtime_dir = setup_fake_runtime_dir());
diff --git a/src/test/test-unit-file.c b/src/test/test-unit-file.c
index fd797b587e..d0c844dddb 100644
--- a/src/test/test-unit-file.c
+++ b/src/test/test-unit-file.c
@@ -848,6 +848,8 @@ int main(int argc, char *argv[]) {
         log_parse_environment();
         log_open();
 
+        enter_cgroup_subroot();
+
         assert_se(runtime_dir = setup_fake_runtime_dir());
 
         r = test_unit_file_get_set();
diff --git a/src/test/test-unit-name.c b/src/test/test-unit-name.c
index 818ac5e372..b8979c0e95 100644
--- a/src/test/test-unit-name.c
+++ b/src/test/test-unit-name.c
@@ -469,6 +469,8 @@ int main(int argc, char* argv[]) {
         log_parse_environment();
         log_open();
 
+        enter_cgroup_subroot();
+
         assert_se(runtime_dir = setup_fake_runtime_dir());
 
         test_unit_name_is_valid();