diff --git a/Lib/test/test_embed.py b/Lib/test/test_embed.py
index 3b551e9015..f1371db866 100644
--- a/Lib/test/test_embed.py
+++ b/Lib/test/test_embed.py
@@ -586,13 +586,14 @@ class InitConfigTests(EmbeddingTestsMixin, unittest.TestCase):
             if value is self.GET_DEFAULT_CONFIG:
                 expected[key] = config[key]
 
-        pythonpath_env = expected['pythonpath_env']
-        if pythonpath_env is not None:
-            paths = pythonpath_env.split(os.path.pathsep)
-            expected['module_search_paths'] = [*paths, *expected['module_search_paths']]
-        if modify_path_cb is not None:
-            expected['module_search_paths'] = expected['module_search_paths'].copy()
-            modify_path_cb(expected['module_search_paths'])
+        if expected['module_search_paths'] is not self.IGNORE_CONFIG:
+            pythonpath_env = expected['pythonpath_env']
+            if pythonpath_env is not None:
+                paths = pythonpath_env.split(os.path.pathsep)
+                expected['module_search_paths'] = [*paths, *expected['module_search_paths']]
+            if modify_path_cb is not None:
+                expected['module_search_paths'] = expected['module_search_paths'].copy()
+                modify_path_cb(expected['module_search_paths'])
 
         for key in self.COPY_PRE_CONFIG:
             if key not in expected_preconfig:
@@ -765,6 +766,8 @@ class InitConfigTests(EmbeddingTestsMixin, unittest.TestCase):
             'buffered_stdio': 0,
             'user_site_directory': 0,
             'faulthandler': 1,
+            'platlibdir': 'my_platlibdir',
+            'module_search_paths': self.IGNORE_CONFIG,
 
             'check_hash_pycs_mode': 'always',
             'pathconfig_warnings': 0,
@@ -796,6 +799,8 @@ class InitConfigTests(EmbeddingTestsMixin, unittest.TestCase):
             'user_site_directory': 0,
             'faulthandler': 1,
             'warnoptions': ['EnvVar'],
+            'platlibdir': 'env_platlibdir',
+            'module_search_paths': self.IGNORE_CONFIG,
             '_use_peg_parser': 0,
         }
         self.check_all_configs("test_init_compat_env", config, preconfig,
@@ -824,6 +829,8 @@ class InitConfigTests(EmbeddingTestsMixin, unittest.TestCase):
             'user_site_directory': 0,
             'faulthandler': 1,
             'warnoptions': ['EnvVar'],
+            'platlibdir': 'env_platlibdir',
+            'module_search_paths': self.IGNORE_CONFIG,
             '_use_peg_parser': 0,
         }
         self.check_all_configs("test_init_python_env", config, preconfig,
diff --git a/Makefile.pre.in b/Makefile.pre.in
index 1d0bd32ffb..a7d5dd2945 100644
--- a/Makefile.pre.in
+++ b/Makefile.pre.in
@@ -782,9 +782,7 @@ Programs/python.o: $(srcdir)/Programs/python.c
 	$(MAINCC) -c $(PY_CORE_CFLAGS) -o $@ $(srcdir)/Programs/python.c
 
 Programs/_testembed.o: $(srcdir)/Programs/_testembed.c
-	$(MAINCC) -c $(PY_CORE_CFLAGS) \
-		-DPLATLIBDIR='"$(PLATLIBDIR)"' \
-		-o $@ $(srcdir)/Programs/_testembed.c
+	$(MAINCC) -c $(PY_CORE_CFLAGS) -o $@ $(srcdir)/Programs/_testembed.c
 
 Modules/_sre.o: $(srcdir)/Modules/_sre.c $(srcdir)/Modules/sre.h $(srcdir)/Modules/sre_constants.h $(srcdir)/Modules/sre_lib.h
 
diff --git a/Programs/_testembed.c b/Programs/_testembed.c
index c6a0d6c9e0..7621c46260 100644
--- a/Programs/_testembed.c
+++ b/Programs/_testembed.c
@@ -549,7 +549,7 @@ static int test_init_from_config(void)
     /* FIXME: test path config: module_search_path .. dll_path */
 
     putenv("PYTHONPLATLIBDIR=env_platlibdir");
-    status = PyConfig_SetBytesString(&config, &config.platlibdir, PLATLIBDIR);
+    status = PyConfig_SetBytesString(&config, &config.platlibdir, "my_platlibdir");
     if (PyStatus_Exception(status)) {
         PyConfig_Clear(&config);
         Py_ExitStatusException(status);
@@ -676,7 +676,7 @@ static void set_most_env_vars(void)
     putenv("PYTHONFAULTHANDLER=1");
     putenv("PYTHONIOENCODING=iso8859-1:replace");
     putenv("PYTHONOLDPARSER=1");
-    putenv("PYTHONPLATLIBDIR="PLATLIBDIR);
+    putenv("PYTHONPLATLIBDIR=env_platlibdir");
 }