diff --git a/utils/make_db b/utils/make_db
index 6af1a36339fe6ddd9d06858f5ca19913d1b9c73a..3ad93111287a4b87303f5c7b319f7da4afd5e282 100755
--- a/utils/make_db
+++ b/utils/make_db
@@ -82,11 +82,11 @@ function _install_unit_test_database () {
     # create test user
     grant
 
-    # update to latest
-    cp .config .test_config
     echo "DATABASE_NAME=\"$UNITTEST_DATABASE\"" >> .test_config
     pushd patches > /dev/null
-    ./applyPatches.sh --env=../.test_config
+    export ENV_FILE=$(realpath ../.test_config)
+    ./applyPatches.sh
+    unset ENV_FILE
     popd > /dev/null
     rm .test_config
 }