diff --git a/tox.ini b/tox.ini
--- a/tox.ini
+++ b/tox.ini
@@ -6,6 +6,8 @@
 deps =
   .[testing]
   pytest-cov
+setenv =
+  SWH_KAFKA_ROOT = {env:SWH_KAFKA_ROOT:swh/journal/tests/kafka}
 commands =
   pytest --cov={envsitepackagesdir}/swh/journal \
          {envsitepackagesdir}/swh/journal \
@@ -19,6 +21,7 @@
   pytest-cov
 setenv =
   SWH_STORAGE_IN_MEMORY_ENABLE_ORIGIN_IDS=false
+  SWH_KAFKA_ROOT = {env:SWH_KAFKA_ROOT:swh/journal/tests/kafka}
 commands =
   pytest --cov={envsitepackagesdir}/swh/journal \
          {envsitepackagesdir}/swh/journal \