diff --git a/.travis.yml b/.travis.yml
index 42f4718b7..da0e1a3da 100644
--- a/.travis.yml
+++ b/.travis.yml
@@ -30,6 +30,7 @@ script:
  - source bootstrap.sh
  - if [[ ${COVERAGE} == true ]]; then ./configure CUSTOM_LDFLAGS='--coverage' CUSTOM_CXXFLAGS='--coverage' CUSTOM_CFLAGS='--coverage' DEBUG=True; else ./configure; fi;
  - make
+ - git clone --depth=1 https://github.com/mapnik/test-data test-data
  - git clone --depth=1 https://github.com/mapbox/mapnik-test-data tests/data/mapnik-test-data
  - make test
  - if [[ ${COVERAGE} == true ]]; then
diff --git a/test/standalone/font_registration_test.cpp b/test/standalone/font_registration_test.cpp
index a876c6a17..4e1ba0330 100644
--- a/test/standalone/font_registration_test.cpp
+++ b/test/standalone/font_registration_test.cpp
@@ -86,12 +86,12 @@ SECTION("registration") {
         REQUIRE( mapnik::freetype_engine::face_names().size() == 0 );
 
         // bogus, emtpy file that looks like font
-        REQUIRE( mapnik::freetype_engine::register_font("tests/data/fonts/fake.ttf") == false );
-        REQUIRE( mapnik::freetype_engine::register_fonts("tests/data/fonts/fake.ttf") == false );
+        REQUIRE( mapnik::freetype_engine::register_font("test-data/fonts/fake.ttf") == false );
+        REQUIRE( mapnik::freetype_engine::register_fonts("test-data/fonts/fake.ttf") == false );
         REQUIRE( mapnik::freetype_engine::face_names().size() == 0 );
 
-        REQUIRE( mapnik::freetype_engine::register_font("tests/data/fonts/intentionally-broken.ttf") == false );
-        REQUIRE( mapnik::freetype_engine::register_fonts("tests/data/fonts/intentionally-broken.ttf") == false );
+        REQUIRE( mapnik::freetype_engine::register_font("test-data/fonts/intentionally-broken.ttf") == false );
+        REQUIRE( mapnik::freetype_engine::register_fonts("test-data/fonts/intentionally-broken.ttf") == false );
         REQUIRE( mapnik::freetype_engine::face_names().size() == 0 );
 
         // now restore the original severity
@@ -109,7 +109,7 @@ SECTION("registration") {
         REQUIRE( face_names.size() == 1 );
 
         // single dejavu font in separate location
-        std::string dejavu_bold_oblique("tests/data/fonts/DejaVuSansMono-BoldOblique.ttf");
+        std::string dejavu_bold_oblique("test-data/fonts/DejaVuSansMono-BoldOblique.ttf");
         REQUIRE( mapnik::freetype_engine::register_font(dejavu_bold_oblique) );
         face_names = mapnik::freetype_engine::face_names();
         REQUIRE( face_names.size() == 2 );
@@ -164,7 +164,7 @@ SECTION("registration") {
         // check that we can correctly read a .ttc containing
         // multiple valid faces
         // https://github.com/mapnik/mapnik/issues/2274
-        REQUIRE( mapnik::freetype_engine::register_font("tests/data/fonts/NotoSans-Regular.ttc") );
+        REQUIRE( mapnik::freetype_engine::register_font("test-data/fonts/NotoSans-Regular.ttc") );
         face_names = mapnik::freetype_engine::face_names();
         REQUIRE( face_names.size() == 24 );
 
diff --git a/test/unit/data/blank.jpg b/test/unit/data/blank.jpg
deleted file mode 100644
index e69de29bb..000000000
diff --git a/test/unit/data/blank.png b/test/unit/data/blank.png
deleted file mode 100644
index e69de29bb..000000000
diff --git a/test/unit/data/blank.tiff b/test/unit/data/blank.tiff
deleted file mode 100644
index e69de29bb..000000000
diff --git a/test/unit/data/blank.webp b/test/unit/data/blank.webp
deleted file mode 100644
index e69de29bb..000000000
diff --git a/test/unit/geometry/geometry.cpp b/test/unit/geometry/geometry.cpp
index fd17eabef..af004d5d6 100644
--- a/test/unit/geometry/geometry.cpp
+++ b/test/unit/geometry/geometry.cpp
@@ -9,7 +9,8 @@
 TEST_CASE("geometry") {
 
 SECTION("json point") {
-    mapnik::util::file input("./tests/data/json/fixtures/point1.json");
+    mapnik::util::file input("./test-data/json/point1.json");
+    REQUIRE( input.open() );
     auto json = input.data();
     mapnik::geometry::geometry<double> geom;
     std::string json_string(json.get());
@@ -23,7 +24,8 @@ SECTION("json point") {
 }
 
 SECTION("json point reversed") {
-    mapnik::util::file input("./tests/data/json/fixtures/point2.json");
+    mapnik::util::file input("./test-data/json/point2.json");
+    REQUIRE( input.open() );
     auto json = input.data();
     mapnik::geometry::geometry<double> geom;
     std::string json_string(json.get());
diff --git a/test/unit/imaging/image_io_test.cpp b/test/unit/imaging/image_io_test.cpp
index 52ac7d633..b263cdacd 100644
--- a/test/unit/imaging/image_io_test.cpp
+++ b/test/unit/imaging/image_io_test.cpp
@@ -21,7 +21,7 @@ SECTION("readers") {
     try
     {
 #if defined(HAVE_JPEG)
-        should_throw = "./test/unit/data/blank.jpg";
+        should_throw = "./test-data/images/blank.jpg";
         REQUIRE( mapnik::util::exists( should_throw ) );
         type = mapnik::type_from_filename(should_throw);
         REQUIRE( type );
@@ -59,7 +59,7 @@ SECTION("readers") {
 #endif
 
 #if defined(HAVE_PNG)
-        should_throw = "./test/unit/data/blank.png";
+        should_throw = "./test-data/images/blank.png";
         REQUIRE( mapnik::util::exists( should_throw ) );
         type = mapnik::type_from_filename(should_throw);
         REQUIRE( type );
@@ -73,7 +73,7 @@ SECTION("readers") {
             REQUIRE( true );
         }
 
-        should_throw = "./tests/data/images/xcode-CgBI.png";
+        should_throw = "./test-data/images/xcode-CgBI.png";
         REQUIRE( mapnik::util::exists( should_throw ) );
         type = mapnik::type_from_filename(should_throw);
         REQUIRE( type );
@@ -89,7 +89,7 @@ SECTION("readers") {
 #endif
 
 #if defined(HAVE_TIFF)
-        should_throw = "./test/unit/data/blank.tiff";
+        should_throw = "./test-data/images/blank.tiff";
         REQUIRE( mapnik::util::exists( should_throw ) );
         type = mapnik::type_from_filename(should_throw);
         REQUIRE( type );
@@ -105,7 +105,7 @@ SECTION("readers") {
 #endif
 
 #if defined(HAVE_WEBP)
-        should_throw = "./test/unit/data/blank.webp";
+        should_throw = "./test-data/images/blank.webp";
         REQUIRE( mapnik::util::exists( should_throw ) );
         type = mapnik::type_from_filename(should_throw);
         REQUIRE( type );
diff --git a/test/unit/imaging/tiff_io.cpp b/test/unit/imaging/tiff_io.cpp
index 46cf4245f..8fc603b46 100644
--- a/test/unit/imaging/tiff_io.cpp
+++ b/test/unit/imaging/tiff_io.cpp
@@ -59,7 +59,7 @@
 TEST_CASE("tiff io") {
 
 SECTION("scan rgb8 striped") {
-    std::string filename("./tests/data/tiff/scan_512x512_rgb8_striped.tif");
+    std::string filename("./test-data/tiff/scan_512x512_rgb8_striped.tif");
     mapnik::tiff_reader<boost::iostreams::file_source> tiff_reader(filename);
     REQUIRE( tiff_reader.width() == 512 );
     REQUIRE( tiff_reader.height() == 512 );
@@ -89,7 +89,7 @@ SECTION("scan rgb8 striped") {
 }
 
 SECTION("scan rgb8 tiled") {
-    std::string filename("./tests/data/tiff/scan_512x512_rgb8_tiled.tif");
+    std::string filename("./test-data/tiff/scan_512x512_rgb8_tiled.tif");
     mapnik::tiff_reader<boost::iostreams::file_source> tiff_reader(filename);
     REQUIRE( tiff_reader.width() == 512 );
     REQUIRE( tiff_reader.height() == 512 );
@@ -119,7 +119,7 @@ SECTION("scan rgb8 tiled") {
 }
 
 SECTION("rgba8 striped") {
-    TIFF_ASSERT("./tests/data/tiff/ndvi_256x256_rgba8_striped.tif")
+    TIFF_ASSERT("./test-data/tiff/ndvi_256x256_rgba8_striped.tif")
     REQUIRE( tiff_reader.rows_per_strip() == 1 );
     REQUIRE( tiff_reader.bits_per_sample() == 8 );
     REQUIRE( tiff_reader.is_tiled() == false );
@@ -135,7 +135,7 @@ SECTION("rgba8 striped") {
 }
 
 SECTION("rgba8 tiled") {
-    TIFF_ASSERT("./tests/data/tiff/ndvi_256x256_rgba8_tiled.tif")
+    TIFF_ASSERT("./test-data/tiff/ndvi_256x256_rgba8_tiled.tif")
     REQUIRE( tiff_reader.rows_per_strip() == 0 );
     REQUIRE( tiff_reader.bits_per_sample() == 8 );
     REQUIRE( tiff_reader.is_tiled() == true );
@@ -151,7 +151,7 @@ SECTION("rgba8 tiled") {
 }
 
 SECTION("rgb8 striped") {
-    TIFF_ASSERT("./tests/data/tiff/ndvi_256x256_rgb8_striped.tif")
+    TIFF_ASSERT("./test-data/tiff/ndvi_256x256_rgb8_striped.tif")
     REQUIRE( tiff_reader.rows_per_strip() == 10 );
     REQUIRE( tiff_reader.bits_per_sample() == 8 );
     REQUIRE( tiff_reader.is_tiled() == false );
@@ -167,7 +167,7 @@ SECTION("rgb8 striped") {
 }
 
 SECTION("rgb8 tiled") {
-    TIFF_ASSERT("./tests/data/tiff/ndvi_256x256_rgb8_tiled.tif")
+    TIFF_ASSERT("./test-data/tiff/ndvi_256x256_rgb8_tiled.tif")
     REQUIRE( tiff_reader.rows_per_strip() == 0 );
     REQUIRE( tiff_reader.bits_per_sample() == 8 );
     REQUIRE( tiff_reader.is_tiled() == true );
@@ -183,7 +183,7 @@ SECTION("rgb8 tiled") {
 }
 
 SECTION("gray8 striped") {
-    TIFF_ASSERT("./tests/data/tiff/ndvi_256x256_gray8_striped.tif")
+    TIFF_ASSERT("./test-data/tiff/ndvi_256x256_gray8_striped.tif")
     REQUIRE( tiff_reader.rows_per_strip() == 32 );
     REQUIRE( tiff_reader.bits_per_sample() == 8 );
     REQUIRE( tiff_reader.is_tiled() == false );
@@ -199,7 +199,7 @@ SECTION("gray8 striped") {
 }
 
 SECTION("gray8 tiled") {
-    TIFF_ASSERT("./tests/data/tiff/ndvi_256x256_gray8_tiled.tif")
+    TIFF_ASSERT("./test-data/tiff/ndvi_256x256_gray8_tiled.tif")
     REQUIRE( tiff_reader.rows_per_strip() == 0 );
     REQUIRE( tiff_reader.bits_per_sample() == 8 );
     REQUIRE( tiff_reader.is_tiled() == true );
@@ -215,7 +215,7 @@ SECTION("gray8 tiled") {
 }
 
 SECTION("gray16 striped") {
-    TIFF_ASSERT("./tests/data/tiff/ndvi_256x256_gray16_striped.tif")
+    TIFF_ASSERT("./test-data/tiff/ndvi_256x256_gray16_striped.tif")
     REQUIRE( tiff_reader.rows_per_strip() == 16 );
     REQUIRE( tiff_reader.bits_per_sample() == 16 );
     REQUIRE( tiff_reader.is_tiled() == false );
@@ -231,7 +231,7 @@ SECTION("gray16 striped") {
 }
 
 SECTION("gray16 tiled") {
-    TIFF_ASSERT("./tests/data/tiff/ndvi_256x256_gray16_tiled.tif")
+    TIFF_ASSERT("./test-data/tiff/ndvi_256x256_gray16_tiled.tif")
     REQUIRE( tiff_reader.rows_per_strip() == 0 );
     REQUIRE( tiff_reader.bits_per_sample() == 16 );
     REQUIRE( tiff_reader.is_tiled() == true );
@@ -247,7 +247,7 @@ SECTION("gray16 tiled") {
 }
 
 SECTION("gray32f striped") {
-    TIFF_ASSERT("./tests/data/tiff/ndvi_256x256_gray32f_striped.tif")
+    TIFF_ASSERT("./test-data/tiff/ndvi_256x256_gray32f_striped.tif")
     REQUIRE( tiff_reader.rows_per_strip() == 8 );
     REQUIRE( tiff_reader.bits_per_sample() == 32 );
     REQUIRE( tiff_reader.is_tiled() == false );
@@ -263,7 +263,7 @@ SECTION("gray32f striped") {
 }
 
 SECTION("gray32f tiled") {
-    TIFF_ASSERT("./tests/data/tiff/ndvi_256x256_gray32f_tiled.tif")
+    TIFF_ASSERT("./test-data/tiff/ndvi_256x256_gray32f_tiled.tif")
     REQUIRE( tiff_reader.rows_per_strip() == 0 );
     REQUIRE( tiff_reader.bits_per_sample() == 32 );
     REQUIRE( tiff_reader.is_tiled() == true );