diff --git a/mkosi.conf b/mkosi.conf
index b66b7726f1..b02c24cdd9 100644
--- a/mkosi.conf
+++ b/mkosi.conf
@@ -4,7 +4,7 @@
 Images=system
 
 [Output]
-OutputDirectory=mkosi.output
+@OutputDirectory=mkosi.output
 BuildDirectory=mkosi.builddir
 CacheDirectory=mkosi.cache
 
diff --git a/mkosi.images/base/mkosi.build.chroot b/mkosi.images/base/mkosi.build.chroot
index f26098cedf..b60ed8d731 100755
--- a/mkosi.images/base/mkosi.build.chroot
+++ b/mkosi.images/base/mkosi.build.chroot
@@ -44,7 +44,7 @@ EOF
 fi
 
 if [ ! -f "$BUILDDIR"/build.ninja ]; then
-    sysvinit_path=$(realpath /etc/init.d)
+    [[ -d /etc/rc.d/init.d ]] && sysvinit_path="/etc/rc.d/init.d" || sysvinit_path="/etc/init.d"
 
     if [ "$ID" = "centos" ] && [ "$VERSION" = "8" ]; then
         UKIFY="disabled"
diff --git a/mkosi.images/system/mkosi.conf b/mkosi.images/system/mkosi.conf
index 7612f221cc..6948f8eb7c 100644
--- a/mkosi.images/system/mkosi.conf
+++ b/mkosi.images/system/mkosi.conf
@@ -33,6 +33,7 @@ Packages=
         strace
         systemd
         tmux
+        tar
         tree
         udev
         util-linux
diff --git a/mkosi.images/system/mkosi.conf.d/10-fedora.conf b/mkosi.images/system/mkosi.conf.d/10-fedora.conf
index 281e9464f6..620688e51b 100644
--- a/mkosi.images/system/mkosi.conf.d/10-fedora.conf
+++ b/mkosi.images/system/mkosi.conf.d/10-fedora.conf
@@ -8,4 +8,5 @@ Packages=
         btrfs-progs
         compsize
         f2fs-tools
+        glibc-langpack-en
         kernel-core
diff --git a/mkosi.images/system/mkosi.postinst.chroot b/mkosi.images/system/mkosi.postinst.chroot
index e0728de279..0fec067ebb 100755
--- a/mkosi.images/system/mkosi.postinst.chroot
+++ b/mkosi.images/system/mkosi.postinst.chroot
@@ -83,3 +83,12 @@ if [ "$ID" = "centos" ] && [ "$VERSION" = "8" ]; then
     alternatives --install /usr/bin/python3 python3 /usr/bin/python3.9 1
     alternatives --set python3 /usr/bin/python3.9
 fi
+
+mkdir -p /usr/lib/sysusers.d
+cat >/usr/lib/sysusers.d/testuser.conf <<EOF
+u	testuser	4711	"Test User"	/home/testuser
+EOF
+mkdir -p /usr/lib/tmpfiles.d
+cat >/usr/lib/tmpfiles.d/testuser.conf <<EOF
+q	/home/testuser	0700	4711	4711
+EOF
diff --git a/test/units/testsuite-15.sh b/test/units/testsuite-15.sh
index e790b37c70..0266f6266f 100755
--- a/test/units/testsuite-15.sh
+++ b/test/units/testsuite-15.sh
@@ -5,6 +5,11 @@ set -o pipefail
 
 # shellcheck source=test/units/test-control.sh
 . "$(dirname "$0")"/test-control.sh
+# shellcheck source=test/units/util.sh
+. "$(dirname "$0")"/util.sh
+
+maybe_mount_usr_overlay
+trap 'maybe_umount_usr_overlay' EXIT
 
 clear_unit() {
     local unit_name="${1:?}"
diff --git a/test/units/testsuite-26.sh b/test/units/testsuite-26.sh
index 5aaac099f4..9f672c738a 100755
--- a/test/units/testsuite-26.sh
+++ b/test/units/testsuite-26.sh
@@ -12,10 +12,13 @@ at_exit() {
         rm -fvr "/usr/lib/systemd/system/$UNIT_NAME" "/etc/systemd/system/$UNIT_NAME.d" "+4"
     fi
 
+    maybe_umount_usr_overlay
+
     rm -f /etc/init.d/issue-24990
     return 0
 }
 
+maybe_mount_usr_overlay
 trap at_exit EXIT
 
 # Create a simple unit file for testing
diff --git a/test/units/testsuite-31.sh b/test/units/testsuite-31.sh
index 03aba36ab8..5e99302299 100755
--- a/test/units/testsuite-31.sh
+++ b/test/units/testsuite-31.sh
@@ -3,7 +3,7 @@
 set -eux
 set -o pipefail
 
-if journalctl -b -t systemd --grep '\.device: Changed plugged -> dead'; then
+if journalctl -b -t systemd --grep '(?<!loop.|diskseq-.)\.device: Changed plugged -> dead'; then
     exit 1
 fi
 
diff --git a/test/units/testsuite-60.sh b/test/units/testsuite-60.sh
index e800a7a12c..3d0723e7dc 100755
--- a/test/units/testsuite-60.sh
+++ b/test/units/testsuite-60.sh
@@ -6,6 +6,9 @@ set -o pipefail
 # shellcheck source=test/units/util.sh
 . "$(dirname "$0")"/util.sh
 
+maybe_mount_usr_overlay
+trap 'maybe_umount_usr_overlay' EXIT
+
 teardown_test_dependencies() (
     set +eux
 
diff --git a/test/units/testsuite-65.sh b/test/units/testsuite-65.sh
index 6c819dfe4a..6415734651 100755
--- a/test/units/testsuite-65.sh
+++ b/test/units/testsuite-65.sh
@@ -179,7 +179,7 @@ systemd-analyze security --json=short | jq
 if [[ ! -v ASAN_OPTIONS ]]; then
     # check that systemd-analyze cat-config paths work in a chroot
     mkdir -p /tmp/root
-    mount --bind / /tmp/root
+    mount --rbind / /tmp/root
     systemd-analyze cat-config systemd/system-preset >/tmp/out1
     chroot /tmp/root systemd-analyze cat-config systemd/system-preset >/tmp/out2
     diff /tmp/out{1,2}
diff --git a/test/units/testsuite-73.sh b/test/units/testsuite-73.sh
index df5af4ba87..3e5b78879a 100755
--- a/test/units/testsuite-73.sh
+++ b/test/units/testsuite-73.sh
@@ -9,6 +9,9 @@ set -o pipefail
 # shellcheck source=test/units/util.sh
 . "$(dirname "$0")"/util.sh
 
+maybe_mount_usr_overlay
+trap 'maybe_umount_usr_overlay' EXIT
+
 enable_debug() {
     mkdir -p /run/systemd/system/systemd-localed.service.d
     cat >>/run/systemd/system/systemd-localed.service.d/override.conf <<EOF
diff --git a/test/units/util.sh b/test/units/util.sh
index b5ed73237c..a18c8980cf 100755
--- a/test/units/util.sh
+++ b/test/units/util.sh
@@ -216,3 +216,19 @@ kernel_supports_lsm() {
 
     return 1
 }
+
+MOUNTED_USR_OVERLAY=false
+
+maybe_mount_usr_overlay() {
+    if [[ ! -w /usr ]]; then
+        mkdir -p /tmp/usr-overlay/{upperdir,workdir}
+        mount -t overlay -o lowerdir=/usr,upperdir=/tmp/usr-overlay/upperdir,workdir=/tmp/usr-overlay/workdir overlay /usr
+	MOUNTED_USR_OVERLAY=true
+    fi
+}
+
+maybe_umount_usr_overlay() {
+    if "$MOUNTED_USR_OVERLAY"; then
+        umount -l /usr
+    fi
+}