diff --git a/guile/tests/test-mu-guile.c b/guile/tests/test-mu-guile.c
index f5189586..50199eb8 100644
--- a/guile/tests/test-mu-guile.c
+++ b/guile/tests/test-mu-guile.c
@@ -42,10 +42,13 @@ fill_database (void)
 	GError *err;
 
 	tmpdir = test_mu_common_get_random_tmpdir();
-	cmdline = g_strdup_printf ("%s index --muhome=%s --maildir=%s"
-				   " --quiet",
-				   MU_PROGRAM,
-				   tmpdir, MU_TESTMAILDIR2);
+	cmdline = g_strdup_printf (
+		"/bin/sh -c '"
+		"%s init  --muhome=%s --maildir=%s --quiet; "
+		"%s index --muhome=%s  --quiet'",
+		MU_PROGRAM,  tmpdir, MU_TESTMAILDIR2,
+		MU_PROGRAM,  tmpdir);
+
 	if (g_test_verbose())
 		g_print ("%s\n", cmdline);