diff --git a/contrib/teamcity/run-tests-windows.ps1 b/contrib/teamcity/run-tests-windows.ps1
index 5592e9a58..fbf3fce2d 100755
--- a/contrib/teamcity/run-tests-windows.ps1
+++ b/contrib/teamcity/run-tests-windows.ps1
@@ -1,79 +1,89 @@
 Set-PSDebug -Off
 $ErrorActionPreference='Stop'
 
 Write-Host "--- Extracting the artifacts ---"
 mkdir -Force artifacts | out-null
 tar xzf artifacts.tar.gz -C artifacts
 
 pushd artifacts/bin
 
 function check_help_version {
   try {
     .\bitcoind.exe -version
     .\bitcoind.exe -help
     .\bitcoin-qt.exe -version
     .\bitcoin-qt.exe -help
     .\bitcoin-cli.exe -version
     .\bitcoin-cli.exe -help
     .\bitcoin-tx.exe -help
     .\bitcoin-wallet -help
   }
   catch {
     Write-Error $_
   }
   finally {
     Stop-Process -name bitcoin-qt -Force -ErrorAction SilentlyContinue
   }
 }
 
+function New-TemporaryDirectory {
+  $parent = [System.IO.Path]::GetTempPath()
+  [string] $name = [System.Guid]::NewGuid()
+  $tempDir = New-Item -ItemType Directory -Path (Join-Path $parent $name)
+  return $tempDir.FullName
+}
+
 function check_bitcoind {
   trap {
     Stop-Process -name bitcoind -Force 
   }
 
+  $datadir = New-TemporaryDirectory
+  $datadirArg = "-datadir=$datadir"
+
   Write-Host "Launching bitcoind in the background"
-  Start-Process -NoNewWindow .\bitcoind.exe "-noprinttoconsole"
+  Start-Process -NoNewWindow .\bitcoind.exe "-noprinttoconsole $datadirArg"
 
   for($i=60; $i -gt 0; $i--) {
     Start-Sleep -Seconds 1
-    if(.\bitcoin-cli.exe help) {
+    if(.\bitcoin-cli.exe $datadirArg help) {
       break
     }
   }
   if($i -eq 0) {
     throw "Failed to start bitcoind"
   }
 
   Write-Host "Stopping bitcoind"
-  .\bitcoin-cli.exe stop
+  .\bitcoin-cli.exe $datadirArg stop
 
   for($i=60; $i -gt 0; $i--) {
     Start-Sleep -Seconds 1
     if(-Not (Get-Process -Name bitcoind -ErrorAction SilentlyContinue)) {
       break
     }
   }
   if($i -eq 0) {
     throw "Failed to stop bitcoind"
   }
 }
 
 Write-Host "--- Checking helps and versions ---"
 check_help_version
 
 Write-Host "--- Checking bitcoind can run and communicate via bitcoin-cli ---"
 check_bitcoind
 
 Write-Host "--- Running bitcoin unit tests ---"
 .\test_bitcoin.exe
 Write-Host "--- Running bitcoin-qt unit tests ---"
 .\test_bitcoin-qt.exe -platform windows
 Write-Host "--- Running pow unit tests ---"
 .\test-pow.exe
 Write-Host "--- Running avalanche unit tests ---"
 # FIXME: figure out why the poll_inflight_timeout test fails and fix it
 .\test-avalanche.exe -t !processor_tests/poll_inflight_timeout
 
 popd
 
 Write-Host -ForegroundColor Green "--- All checks passed ---"