diff --git a/virtcli/cliconfig.py b/virtcli/cliconfig.py
index 7f1a7cb91..60d4f55b4 100644
--- a/virtcli/cliconfig.py
+++ b/virtcli/cliconfig.py
@@ -25,13 +25,16 @@ import ConfigParser
 import os
 
 
-cfg = ConfigParser.ConfigParser()
+_cfg = ConfigParser.ConfigParser()
 _filepath = os.path.abspath(__file__)
 _srcdir = os.path.abspath(os.path.join(os.path.dirname(_filepath), ".."))
-cfgpath = os.path.join(os.path.dirname(_filepath), "cli.cfg")
+_cfgpath = os.path.join(os.path.dirname(_filepath), "cli.cfg")
+if os.path.exists(_cfgpath):
+    _cfg.read(_cfgpath)
+
 _istest = "VIRTINST_TEST_SUITE" in os.environ
-if os.path.exists(cfgpath):
-    cfg.read(cfgpath)
+_running_from_srcdir = os.path.exists(
+    os.path.join(_srcdir, "tests", "clitest.py"))
 
 
 def _split_list(commastr):
@@ -42,7 +45,7 @@ def _get_param(name, default):
     if _istest:
         return default
     try:
-        return cfg.get("config", name)
+        return _cfg.get("config", name)
     except (ConfigParser.NoOptionError, ConfigParser.NoSectionError):
         return default
 
@@ -66,19 +69,21 @@ def _setup_gsettings_path(schemadir):
         raise RuntimeError("Failed to compile local gsettings schemas")
 
 
-__version__ = "1.1.0"
+##############
+# Public API #
+##############
 
+__version__ = "1.1.0"
 __snapshot__ = 0
 
 _usr_version = _get_param("pkgversion", "")
 if _usr_version is not None and _usr_version != "":
     __version__ = _usr_version
 
-# We should map this into the config somehow but I question if anyone cares
 prefix = _get_param("prefix", "/usr")
 gettext_dir = os.path.join(prefix, "share", "locale")
 install_asset_dir = os.path.join(prefix, "share", "virt-manager")
-if os.getcwd() == _srcdir:
+if _running_from_srcdir:
     asset_dir = _srcdir
     icon_dir = os.path.join(_srcdir, "data")
     _setup_gsettings_path(icon_dir)