diff --git a/src/test/params_test.h b/src/test/params_test.h
index 43f3012..36a8205 100644
--- a/src/test/params_test.h
+++ b/src/test/params_test.h
@@ -8,27 +8,52 @@
 #ifndef PARAMS_TEST_H_
 #define PARAMS_TEST_H_
 
-// total emulated spi flash size
+//////////////// TEST PARAMS ////////////////
+
+// default test total emulated spi flash size
 #define PHYS_FLASH_SIZE       (16*1024*1024)
-// spiffs file system size
+// default test spiffs file system size
 #define SPIFFS_FLASH_SIZE     (2*1024*1024)
-// spiffs file system offset in emulated spi flash
+// default test spiffs file system offset in emulated spi flash
 #define SPIFFS_PHYS_ADDR      (4*1024*1024)
+// default test sector size
+#define SECTOR_SIZE         65536
+// default test logical block size
+#define LOG_BLOCK           (SECTOR_SIZE*2)
+// default test logical page size
+#define LOG_PAGE            (SECTOR_SIZE/256)
+// default test number of filedescs
+#define DEFAULT_NUM_FD            8
+// default test number of cache pages
+#define DEFAULT_NUM_CACHE_PAGES   8
+
+// When testing, test bench create reference files for comparison on
+// the actual hard drive. By default, put these on ram drive for speed.
+#define TEST_PATH "/dev/shm/spiffs/test-data/"
+
+#define ASSERT(c, m) real_assert((c),(m), __FILE__, __LINE__);
+void real_assert(int c, const char *n, const char *file, int l);
+
+/////////// SPIFFS BUILD CONFIG  ////////////
 
 // test using filesystem magic
 #define SPIFFS_USE_MAGIC    1
 // test using filesystem magic length
 #define SPIFFS_USE_MAGIC_LENGTH   1
+// test using extra param in callback
+#define SPIFFS_HAL_CALLBACK_EXTRA       1
+// test using filehandle offset
+#define SPIFFS_FILEHDL_OFFSET           1
+// use this offset
+#define TEST_SPIFFS_FILEHDL_OFFSET      0x1000
 
-#define SECTOR_SIZE         65536
-#define LOG_BLOCK           (SECTOR_SIZE*2)
-#define LOG_PAGE            (SECTOR_SIZE/256)
-
-#define DEFAULT_NUM_FD            8
-#define DEFAULT_NUM_CACHE_PAGES   8
-
-#define ASSERT(c, m) real_assert((c),(m), __FILE__, __LINE__);
+// dbg output
+#define SPIFFS_DBG(...) //printf(__VA_ARGS__)
+#define SPIFFS_GC_DBG(...) //printf(__VA_ARGS__)
+#define SPIFFS_CACHE_DBG(...) //printf(__VA_ARGS__)
+#define SPIFFS_CHECK_DBG(...) //printf(__VA_ARGS__)
 
+// needed types
 typedef signed int s32_t;
 typedef unsigned int u32_t;
 typedef signed short s16_t;
@@ -36,22 +61,4 @@ typedef unsigned short u16_t;
 typedef signed char s8_t;
 typedef unsigned char u8_t;
 
-#define SPIFFS_DBG(...) //printf(__VA_ARGS__)
-#define SPIFFS_GC_DBG(...) //printf(__VA_ARGS__)
-#define SPIFFS_CACHE_DBG(...) //printf(__VA_ARGS__)
-#define SPIFFS_CHECK_DBG(...) //printf(__VA_ARGS__)
-
-#ifndef SPIFFS_HAL_CALLBACK_EXTRA
-#define SPIFFS_HAL_CALLBACK_EXTRA       1
-#endif
-
-#define SPIFFS_FILEHDL_OFFSET           1
-#if SPIFFS_FILEHDL_OFFSET
-#define TEST_SPIFFS_FILEHDL_OFFSET      0x1000
-#endif
-
-// Enable/disable
-
-void real_assert(int c, const char *n, const char *file, int l);
-
 #endif /* PARAMS_TEST_H_ */
diff --git a/src/test/test_spiffs.c b/src/test/test_spiffs.c
index 894c24e..78028a4 100644
--- a/src/test/test_spiffs.c
+++ b/src/test/test_spiffs.c
@@ -23,6 +23,7 @@
 #include <fcntl.h>
 #include <dirent.h>
 #include <unistd.h>
+#include <errno.h>
 
 #define AREA(x) _area[(x) - addr_offset]
 
@@ -52,13 +53,75 @@ static u32_t _cache_sz;
 
 static int check_valid_flash = 1;
 
-#define TEST_PATH "test_data/"
+#ifndef TEST_PATH
+#define TEST_PATH "/dev/shm/spiffs/test-data/"
+#endif
+
+// taken from http://stackoverflow.com/questions/675039/how-can-i-create-directory-tree-in-c-linux
+// thanks Jonathan Leffler
+
+static int do_mkdir(const char *path, mode_t mode)
+{
+  struct stat st;
+  int status = 0;
+
+  if (stat(path, &st) != 0) {
+    /* Directory does not exist. EEXIST for race condition */
+    if (mkdir(path, mode) != 0 && errno != EEXIST) {
+      status = -1;
+    }
+  } else if (!S_ISDIR(st.st_mode)) {
+    errno = ENOTDIR;
+    status = -1;
+  }
+
+  return status;
+}
+
+/**
+** mkpath - ensure all directories in path exist
+** Algorithm takes the pessimistic view and works top-down to ensure
+** each directory in path exists, rather than optimistically creating
+** the last element and working backwards.
+*/
+static int mkpath(const char *path, mode_t mode) {
+  char *pp;
+  char *sp;
+  int status;
+  char *copypath = strdup(path);
+
+  status = 0;
+  pp = copypath;
+  while (status == 0 && (sp = strchr(pp, '/')) != 0) {
+    if (sp != pp)  {
+      /* Neither root nor double slash in path */
+      *sp = '\0';
+      status = do_mkdir(copypath, mode);
+      *sp = '/';
+    }
+    pp = sp + 1;
+  }
+  if (status == 0) {
+      status = do_mkdir(path, mode);
+  }
+  free(copypath);
+  return status;
+}
+
+// end take
 
 char *make_test_fname(const char *name) {
-  sprintf(_path, "%s%s", TEST_PATH, name);
+  sprintf(_path, "%s/%s", TEST_PATH, name);
   return _path;
 }
 
+void create_test_path(void) {
+  if (mkpath(TEST_PATH, 0755)) {
+    printf("could not create path %s\n", TEST_PATH);
+    exit(1);
+  }
+}
+
 void clear_test_path() {
   DIR *dp;
   struct dirent *ep;
@@ -67,7 +130,7 @@ void clear_test_path() {
   if (dp != NULL) {
     while ((ep = readdir(dp))) {
       if (ep->d_name[0] != '.') {
-        sprintf(_path, "%s%s", TEST_PATH, ep->d_name);
+        sprintf(_path, "%s/%s", TEST_PATH, ep->d_name);
         remove(_path);
       }
     }
@@ -640,6 +703,7 @@ static u32_t cmiss_tot = 0;
 #endif
 
 void _setup_test_only() {
+  create_test_path();
   fs_set_validate_flashing(1);
   test_init(test_on_stop);
 }