diff --git a/qa/rpc-tests/conflictedbalance.sh b/qa/rpc-tests/conflictedbalance.sh
index 71761321e..a112244c7 100755
--- a/qa/rpc-tests/conflictedbalance.sh
+++ b/qa/rpc-tests/conflictedbalance.sh
@@ -18,13 +18,14 @@
 if [ $# -lt 1 ]; then
         echo "Usage: $0 path_to_binaries"
         echo "e.g. $0 ../../src"
+        echo "Env vars BITCOIND and BITCOINCLI may be used to specify the exact binaries used"
         exit 1
 fi
 
 set -f
 
-BITCOIND=${1}/bitcoind
-CLI=${1}/bitcoin-cli
+BITCOIND=${BITCOIND:-${1}/bitcoind}
+CLI=${BITCOINCLI:-${1}/bitcoin-cli}
 
 DIR="${BASH_SOURCE%/*}"
 SENDANDWAIT="${DIR}/send.sh"
diff --git a/qa/rpc-tests/txnmall.sh b/qa/rpc-tests/txnmall.sh
index 035e7ee15..1296d54d9 100755
--- a/qa/rpc-tests/txnmall.sh
+++ b/qa/rpc-tests/txnmall.sh
@@ -8,13 +8,14 @@
 if [ $# -lt 1 ]; then
         echo "Usage: $0 path_to_binaries"
         echo "e.g. $0 ../../src"
+        echo "Env vars BITCOIND and BITCOINCLI may be used to specify the exact binaries used"
         exit 1
 fi
 
 set -f
 
-BITCOIND=${1}/bitcoind
-CLI=${1}/bitcoin-cli
+BITCOIND=${BITCOIND:-${1}/bitcoind}
+CLI=${BITCOINCLI:-${1}/bitcoin-cli}
 
 DIR="${BASH_SOURCE%/*}"
 SENDANDWAIT="${DIR}/send.sh"
diff --git a/qa/rpc-tests/util.py b/qa/rpc-tests/util.py
index 6d0b21c92..c895eb161 100644
--- a/qa/rpc-tests/util.py
+++ b/qa/rpc-tests/util.py
@@ -85,11 +85,11 @@ def initialize_chain(test_dir):
         # Create cache directories, run bitcoinds:
         for i in range(4):
             datadir=initialize_datadir("cache", i)
-            args = [ "bitcoind", "-keypool=1", "-datadir="+datadir, "-discover=0" ]
+            args = [ os.getenv("BITCOIND", "bitcoind"), "-keypool=1", "-datadir="+datadir, "-discover=0" ]
             if i > 0:
                 args.append("-connect=127.0.0.1:"+str(p2p_port(0)))
             bitcoind_processes[i] = subprocess.Popen(args)
-            subprocess.check_call([ "bitcoin-cli", "-datadir="+datadir,
+            subprocess.check_call([ os.getenv("BITCOINCLI", "bitcoin-cli"), "-datadir="+datadir,
                                     "-rpcwait", "getblockcount"], stdout=devnull)
         devnull.close()
         rpcs = []
@@ -150,11 +150,11 @@ def start_node(i, dir, extra_args=None, rpchost=None):
     Start a bitcoind and return RPC connection to it
     """
     datadir = os.path.join(dir, "node"+str(i))
-    args = [ "bitcoind", "-datadir="+datadir, "-keypool=1", "-discover=0" ]
+    args = [ os.getenv("BITCOIND", "bitcoind"), "-datadir="+datadir, "-keypool=1", "-discover=0" ]
     if extra_args is not None: args.extend(extra_args)
     bitcoind_processes[i] = subprocess.Popen(args)
     devnull = open("/dev/null", "w+")
-    subprocess.check_call([ "bitcoin-cli", "-datadir="+datadir] +
+    subprocess.check_call([ os.getenv("BITCOINCLI", "bitcoin-cli"), "-datadir="+datadir] +
                           _rpchost_to_args(rpchost)  +
                           ["-rpcwait", "getblockcount"], stdout=devnull)
     devnull.close()
diff --git a/qa/rpc-tests/wallet.sh b/qa/rpc-tests/wallet.sh
index bb5f34f59..c9ad0f2a7 100755
--- a/qa/rpc-tests/wallet.sh
+++ b/qa/rpc-tests/wallet.sh
@@ -8,13 +8,14 @@
 if [ $# -lt 1 ]; then
         echo "Usage: $0 path_to_binaries"
         echo "e.g. $0 ../../src"
+        echo "Env vars BITCOIND and BITCOINCLI may be used to specify the exact binaries used"
         exit 1
 fi
 
 set -f
 
-BITCOIND=${1}/bitcoind
-CLI=${1}/bitcoin-cli
+BITCOIND=${BITCOIND:-${1}/bitcoind}
+CLI=${BITCOINCLI:-${1}/bitcoin-cli}
 
 DIR="${BASH_SOURCE%/*}"
 SENDANDWAIT="${DIR}/send.sh"
diff --git a/qa/rpc-tests/walletbackup.sh b/qa/rpc-tests/walletbackup.sh
index ee11418be..4af3d97f3 100755
--- a/qa/rpc-tests/walletbackup.sh
+++ b/qa/rpc-tests/walletbackup.sh
@@ -36,11 +36,12 @@
 if [ $# -lt 1 ]; then
         echo "Usage: $0 path_to_binaries"
         echo "e.g. $0 ../../src"
+        echo "Env vars BITCOIND and BITCOINCLI may be used to specify the exact binaries used"
         exit 1
 fi
 
-BITCOIND=${1}/bitcoind
-CLI=${1}/bitcoin-cli
+BITCOIND=${BITCOIND:-${1}/bitcoind}
+CLI=${BITCOINCLI:-${1}/bitcoin-cli}
 
 DIR="${BASH_SOURCE%/*}"
 SENDANDWAIT="${DIR}/send.sh"
diff --git a/qa/rpc-tests/zapwallettxes.sh b/qa/rpc-tests/zapwallettxes.sh
index e6d490ccc..4312d84e9 100755
--- a/qa/rpc-tests/zapwallettxes.sh
+++ b/qa/rpc-tests/zapwallettxes.sh
@@ -8,13 +8,14 @@
 if [ $# -lt 1 ]; then
         echo "Usage: $0 path_to_binaries"
         echo "e.g. $0 ../../src"
+        echo "Env vars BITCOIND and BITCOINCLI may be used to specify the exact binaries used"
         exit 1
 fi
 
 set -f
 
-BITCOIND=${1}/bitcoind
-CLI=${1}/bitcoin-cli
+BITCOIND=${BITCOIND:-${1}/bitcoind}
+CLI=${BITCOINCLI:-${1}/bitcoin-cli}
 
 DIR="${BASH_SOURCE%/*}"
 SENDANDWAIT="${DIR}/send.sh"