diff --git a/flock/bgp-secondary/test.py b/flock/bgp-secondary/test.py
index 33fc2c9d..3c4ea919 100644
--- a/flock/bgp-secondary/test.py
+++ b/flock/bgp-secondary/test.py
@@ -57,25 +57,6 @@ async def main():
     with open(t.dest.workdir / "bird.conf", "w") as f:
         f.write(jt.render( link=link ))
 
-    with open(pathlib.Path.cwd() / ".." / ".." / "bird", "rb") as b:
-        with open(t.dest.workdir / "bird", "wb") as d:
-            d.write(dta := b.read())
-
-        with open(t.src.workdir / "bird", "wb") as d:
-            d.write(dta)
-
-    with open(pathlib.Path.cwd() / ".." / ".." / "birdc", "rb") as b:
-        with open(t.dest.workdir / "birdc", "wb") as d:
-            d.write(dta := b.read())
-
-        with open(t.src.workdir / "birdc", "wb") as d:
-            d.write(dta)
-
-    os.chmod(t.dest.workdir / "bird", 0o755)
-    os.chmod(t.src.workdir / "bird", 0o755)
-    os.chmod(t.dest.workdir / "birdc", 0o755)
-    os.chmod(t.src.workdir / "birdc", 0o755)
-
     print(await asyncio.gather(*[
         h.control_socket.send_cmd("run_in", where, "./bird", "-l")
         for where in ("src", "dest")
diff --git a/flock/lib/BIRD/Test.py b/flock/lib/BIRD/Test.py
index 58d01960..cd8b2515 100644
--- a/flock/lib/BIRD/Test.py
+++ b/flock/lib/BIRD/Test.py
@@ -17,10 +17,53 @@ class MinimalistTransport(Transport):
     async def send_cmd(self, *args):
         return await self.sock.send_cmd("run_in", self.machine, "./birdc", "-l", *args)
 
+class BIRDBinDir:
+    index = {}
+
+    def __init__(self, path):
+        self.path = path
+
+        f = [ "bird", "birdc", "birdcl", ]
+
+        self.files = { k: None for k in f }
+        self.mod = { k: None for k in f }
+        self.loaded = False
+
+    @classmethod
+    def get(cls, where):
+        w = pathlib.Path(where).absolute()
+        try:
+            return cls.index[s := str(w)]
+        except KeyError:
+            cls.index[s] = (b := cls(w))
+            return b
+
+    def load(self):
+        for bn,v in self.files.items():
+            if v is None:
+                with open(self.path / bn, "rb") as b:
+                    self.files[bn] = b.read()
+                self.mod[bn] = (self.path / bn).stat().st_mode
+
+        self.loaded = True
+
+    def copy(self, target):
+        if not self.loaded:
+            self.load()
+
+        for bn,v in self.files.items():
+            if v is not None:
+                with open(target / bn, "wb") as b:
+                    b.write(v)
+                (target / bn).chmod(self.mod[bn])
+
+default_bindir = BIRDBinDir.get("..")
+
 class BIRDInstance(CLI):
-    def __init__(self, mach: Machine):
+    def __init__(self, mach: Machine, bindir=None):
         self.mach = mach
         self.workdir = self.mach.workdir
+        self.bindir = BIRDBinDir.get(bindir) if bindir is not None else default_bindir
 
         super().__init__(
                 transport=MinimalistTransport(
@@ -29,6 +72,8 @@ class BIRDInstance(CLI):
                     )
                 )
 
+        self.bindir.copy(self.workdir)
+
 class Test:
     machines_start = {}