diff --git a/test/common/README.md b/test/common/README.md
index f064ab6e7e14be..a737bca2de5e9f 100644
--- a/test/common/README.md
+++ b/test/common/README.md
@@ -377,10 +377,12 @@ const { spawn } = require('child_process');
 spawn(...common.pwdCommand, { stdio: ['pipe'] });
 ```
 
-### `requireNoPackageJSONAbove()`
+### `requireNoPackageJSONAbove([dir])`
 
-Throws an `AssertionError` if a `package.json` file is in any ancestor
-directory. Such files may interfere with proper test functionality.
+* `dir` [<string>][] default = \_\_dirname
+
+Throws an `AssertionError` if a `package.json` file exists in any ancestor
+directory above `dir`. Such files may interfere with proper test functionality.
 
 ### `runWithInvalidFD(func)`
 
diff --git a/test/common/index.js b/test/common/index.js
index 7480368a55ebb3..ae18ee6a75f10c 100644
--- a/test/common/index.js
+++ b/test/common/index.js
@@ -699,8 +699,8 @@ function gcUntil(name, condition) {
   });
 }
 
-function requireNoPackageJSONAbove() {
-  let possiblePackage = path.join(__dirname, '..', 'package.json');
+function requireNoPackageJSONAbove(dir = __dirname) {
+  let possiblePackage = path.join(dir, '..', 'package.json');
   let lastPackage = null;
   while (possiblePackage !== lastPackage) {
     if (fs.existsSync(possiblePackage)) {
diff --git a/test/pummel/test-policy-integrity.js b/test/pummel/test-policy-integrity.js
index 15124aefd46904..c29bb7a7b3f90e 100644
--- a/test/pummel/test-policy-integrity.js
+++ b/test/pummel/test-policy-integrity.js
@@ -76,6 +76,7 @@ function newTestId() {
   return nextTestId++;
 }
 tmpdir.refresh();
+common.requireNoPackageJSONAbove(tmpdir.path);
 
 let spawned = 0;
 const toSpawn = [];