diff --git a/packages/config-loader/src/schema/collect.test.ts b/packages/config-loader/src/schema/collect.test.ts
index f70220011a..f513253619 100644
--- a/packages/config-loader/src/schema/collect.test.ts
+++ b/packages/config-loader/src/schema/collect.test.ts
@@ -18,6 +18,12 @@ import { createMockDirectory } from '@backstage/backend-test-utils';
 import { collectConfigSchemas } from './collect';
 import path from 'path';
 
+// cwd must be restored
+const origDir = process.cwd();
+afterAll(() => {
+  process.chdir(origDir);
+});
+
 const mockSchema = {
   type: 'object',
   properties: {
diff --git a/packages/config-loader/src/schema/load.test.ts b/packages/config-loader/src/schema/load.test.ts
index 85cc9fde5f..525565f3d5 100644
--- a/packages/config-loader/src/schema/load.test.ts
+++ b/packages/config-loader/src/schema/load.test.ts
@@ -17,6 +17,12 @@
 import { createMockDirectory } from '@backstage/backend-test-utils';
 import { loadConfigSchema } from './load';
 
+// cwd must be restored
+const origDir = process.cwd();
+afterAll(() => {
+  process.chdir(origDir);
+});
+
 describe('loadConfigSchema', () => {
   const mockDir = createMockDirectory();