diff --git a/core/http/api_test.go b/core/http/api_test.go
index eae054d4e018..c77d261f4a64 100644
--- a/core/http/api_test.go
+++ b/core/http/api_test.go
@@ -144,6 +144,9 @@ var _ = Describe("API test", func() {
 			var err error
 			tmpdir, err = os.MkdirTemp("", "")
 			Expect(err).ToNot(HaveOccurred())
+			modelDir := filepath.Join(tmpdir, "models")
+			err = os.Mkdir(modelDir, 0666)
+			Expect(err).ToNot(HaveOccurred())
 
 			c, cancel = context.WithCancel(context.Background())
 
@@ -175,7 +178,7 @@ var _ = Describe("API test", func() {
 				append(commonOpts,
 					config.WithContext(c),
 					config.WithGalleries(galleries),
-					config.WithModelPath(tmpdir),
+					config.WithModelPath(modelDir),
 					config.WithBackendAssets(backendAssets), config.WithBackendAssetsOutput(tmpdir))...)
 			Expect(err).ToNot(HaveOccurred())