diff --git a/tests/gnrc_dhcpv6_client/dhcpv6_server.sh b/tests/gnrc_dhcpv6_client/dhcpv6_server.sh
index c0bc3a17a3..6e1b735906 100755
--- a/tests/gnrc_dhcpv6_client/dhcpv6_server.sh
+++ b/tests/gnrc_dhcpv6_client/dhcpv6_server.sh
@@ -6,11 +6,6 @@
 # Distributed under terms of the MIT license.
 #
 
-if [ "$EUID" -ne 0 ]; then
-  echo -e "\033[31;1mRequire root since kea uses some PID and Lock files in /var\033[0m" >&2
-  exit 1
-fi
-
 if ! command -v kea-dhcp6; then
   echo -e "\033[31;1mCommand kea-dhcp6 required\033[0m" >&2
   exit 1
@@ -56,7 +51,8 @@ EOF
         python3 -c "$convert_json"
     fi
     sleep 1 # sleep to let TAP become active
-    KEA_PIDFILE_DIR=${TMPDIR} KEA_LOCKFILE_DIR=${TMPDIR} \
+    cd "$TMPDIR" || exit 1
+    KEA_PIDFILE_DIR=. KEA_LOCKFILE_DIR=. \
         kea-dhcp6 -p "$1" -c "$config"
 }
 
diff --git a/tests/gnrc_dhcpv6_client/kea-dhcp6.conf b/tests/gnrc_dhcpv6_client/kea-dhcp6.conf
index b42eade5bd..ebe7d9215e 100644
--- a/tests/gnrc_dhcpv6_client/kea-dhcp6.conf
+++ b/tests/gnrc_dhcpv6_client/kea-dhcp6.conf
@@ -4,8 +4,10 @@
     "interfaces-config": {
       "interfaces": [ "tapbr0" ]
     },
+    "data-directory": ".",
     "lease-database": {
-      "type": "memfile"
+      "type": "memfile",
+      "name": "kea-dhcp6.leases.csv"
     },
     "expired-leases-processing": {
       "reclaim-timer-wait-time": 10,
diff --git a/tests/gnrc_dhcpv6_client/tests/01-run.py b/tests/gnrc_dhcpv6_client/tests-with-config/01-run.py
similarity index 100%
rename from tests/gnrc_dhcpv6_client/tests/01-run.py
rename to tests/gnrc_dhcpv6_client/tests-with-config/01-run.py