diff --git a/changes/bug27096 b/changes/bug27096
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..d1c139549d
--- /dev/null
+++ b/changes/bug27096
@@ -0,0 +1,3 @@
+  o Minor bugfixes (testing):
+    - Fix two unit tests to work when HOME environment variable is not
+      set. Fixes bug 27096; bugfix on 0.2.8.1-alpha.
diff --git a/src/test/test_options.c b/src/test/test_options.c
index 4e890205b2..801b5895ff 100644
--- a/src/test/test_options.c
+++ b/src/test/test_options.c
@@ -473,6 +473,13 @@ test_options_validate__uname_for_server(void *ignored)
 {
   (void)ignored;
   char *msg;
+
+#ifndef _WIN32
+  int unset_home_env = 0;
+  if (setenv("HOME", "/home/john", 0) == 0)
+    unset_home_env = 1;
+#endif
+
   options_test_data_t *tdata = get_options_test_data(
                                       "ORPort 127.0.0.1:5555");
   setup_capture_of_logs(LOG_WARN);
@@ -512,6 +519,10 @@ test_options_validate__uname_for_server(void *ignored)
   free_options_test_data(tdata);
   tor_free(msg);
   teardown_capture_of_logs();
+#ifndef _WIN32
+  if (unset_home_env)
+    unsetenv("HOME");
+#endif
 }
 
 static void
@@ -1413,6 +1424,13 @@ test_options_validate__paths_needed(void *ignored)
   (void)ignored;
   int ret;
   char *msg;
+
+#ifndef _WIN32
+  int unset_home_env = 0;
+  if (setenv("HOME", "/home/john", 0) == 0)
+    unset_home_env = 1;
+#endif
+
   setup_capture_of_logs(LOG_WARN);
   options_test_data_t *tdata = get_options_test_data(
                                       "PathsNeededToBuildCircuits 0.1\n"
@@ -1455,6 +1473,10 @@ test_options_validate__paths_needed(void *ignored)
   teardown_capture_of_logs();
   free_options_test_data(tdata);
   tor_free(msg);
+#ifndef _WIN32
+  if (unset_home_env)
+    unsetenv("HOME");
+#endif
 }
 
 static void