diff --git a/changes/ticket29702 b/changes/ticket29702
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..e1cc1f867b
--- /dev/null
+++ b/changes/ticket29702
@@ -0,0 +1,4 @@
+  o Testing:
+    - Specify torrc paths (with empty files) when launching tor in
+      integration tests; refrain from reading user and system torrcs.
+      Resolves issue 29702.
diff --git a/src/test/test_key_expiration.sh b/src/test/test_key_expiration.sh
index cf6608634d..3474210607 100755
--- a/src/test/test_key_expiration.sh
+++ b/src/test/test_key_expiration.sh
@@ -66,10 +66,11 @@ trap "rm -rf '$DATA_DIR'" 0
 DATA_DIR=`cd "${DATA_DIR}" && pwd`
 
 touch "${DATA_DIR}/empty_torrc"
+touch "${DATA_DIR}/empty_defaults_torrc"
 
 QUIETLY="--hush"
 SILENTLY="--quiet"
-TOR="${TOR_BINARY} --DisableNetwork 1 --ShutdownWaitLength 0 --ORPort 12345 --ExitRelay 0 -f ${DATA_DIR}/empty_torrc --DataDirectory ${DATA_DIR}"
+TOR="${TOR_BINARY} --DisableNetwork 1 --ShutdownWaitLength 0 --ORPort 12345 --ExitRelay 0 --DataDirectory ${DATA_DIR} -f ${DATA_DIR}/empty_torrc --defaults-torrc ${DATA_DIR}/empty_defaults_torrc"
 
 ##### SETUP
 #
diff --git a/src/test/test_keygen.sh b/src/test/test_keygen.sh
index 455f9e7d42..7afff271cb 100755
--- a/src/test/test_keygen.sh
+++ b/src/test/test_keygen.sh
@@ -83,10 +83,11 @@ trap "rm -rf '$DATA_DIR'" 0
 DATA_DIR=`cd "${DATA_DIR}" && pwd`
 
 touch "${DATA_DIR}/empty_torrc"
+touch "${DATA_DIR}/empty_defaults_torrc"
 
 QUIETLY="--hush"
 SILENTLY="--quiet"
-TOR="${TOR_BINARY} ${QUIETLY} --DisableNetwork 1 --ShutdownWaitLength 0 --ORPort 12345 --ExitRelay 0 -f ${DATA_DIR}/empty_torrc"
+TOR="${TOR_BINARY} ${QUIETLY} --DisableNetwork 1 --ShutdownWaitLength 0 --ORPort 12345 --ExitRelay 0 -f ${DATA_DIR}/empty_torrc --defaults-torrc ${DATA_DIR}/empty_defaults_torrc"
 
 ##### SETUP
 #
diff --git a/src/test/test_rebind.py b/src/test/test_rebind.py
index 65feedd243..7b12626a91 100644
--- a/src/test/test_rebind.py
+++ b/src/test/test_rebind.py
@@ -83,13 +83,21 @@ if not os.path.exists(sys.argv[2]):
 tor_path = sys.argv[1]
 data_dir = sys.argv[2]
 
+empty_torrc_path = os.path.join(data_dir, 'empty_torrc')
+open(empty_torrc_path, 'w').close()
+empty_defaults_torrc_path = os.path.join(data_dir, 'empty_defaults_torrc')
+open(empty_defaults_torrc_path, 'w').close()
+
 tor_process = subprocess.Popen([tor_path,
                                '-DataDirectory', data_dir,
                                '-ControlPort', '127.0.0.1:{}'.format(control_port),
                                '-SOCKSPort', '127.0.0.1:{}'.format(socks_port),
                                '-Log', 'debug stdout',
                                '-LogTimeGranularity', '1',
-                               '-FetchServerDescriptors', '0'],
+                               '-FetchServerDescriptors', '0',
+                               '-f', empty_torrc_path,
+                               '--defaults-torrc', empty_defaults_torrc_path,
+                               ],
                                stdout=subprocess.PIPE,
                                stderr=subprocess.PIPE)
 
diff --git a/src/test/zero_length_keys.sh b/src/test/zero_length_keys.sh
index 3c61f8d465..5635bdfd89 100755
--- a/src/test/zero_length_keys.sh
+++ b/src/test/zero_length_keys.sh
@@ -43,10 +43,11 @@ fi
 trap "rm -rf '$DATA_DIR'" 0
 
 touch "$DATA_DIR"/empty_torrc
+touch "$DATA_DIR"/empty_defaults_torrc
 
 # DisableNetwork means that the ORPort won't actually be opened.
 # 'ExitRelay 0' suppresses a warning.
-TOR="${TOR_BINARY} --hush --DisableNetwork 1 --ShutdownWaitLength 0 --ORPort 12345 --ExitRelay 0 -f $DATA_DIR/empty_torrc"
+TOR="${TOR_BINARY} --hush --DisableNetwork 1 --ShutdownWaitLength 0 --ORPort 12345 --ExitRelay 0 -f $DATA_DIR/empty_torrc --defaults-torrc $DATA_DIR/empty_defaults_torrc"
 
 if [ -s "$DATA_DIR"/keys/secret_id_key ] && [ -s "$DATA_DIR"/keys/secret_onion_key ] &&
    [ -s "$DATA_DIR"/keys/secret_onion_key_ntor ]; then