diff --git a/actions/echo b/actions/echo
deleted file mode 120000
index 7bbf7ccd5..000000000
--- a/actions/echo
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1 +0,0 @@
-/bin/echo
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/actions/id b/actions/id
deleted file mode 120000
index 5f8fa7d02..000000000
--- a/actions/id
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1 +0,0 @@
-/usr/bin/id
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/tests/actions_test.py b/tests/actions_test.py
index df18e40db..c78fdce72 100644
--- a/tests/actions_test.py
+++ b/tests/actions_test.py
@@ -2,6 +2,7 @@
 # -*- mode: python; mode: auto-fill; fill-column: 80 -*-
 
 from actions import superuser_run, run
+import os
 import shlex
 import subprocess
 import sys
@@ -12,7 +13,19 @@ class TestPrivileged(unittest.TestCase):
 
     See actions.py for a full description of the expectations.
 
+    Symlink to ``echo`` and ``id`` during testing.
+
     """
+    @classmethod
+    def setUpClass(cls):
+        os.symlink("/bin/echo", "actions/echo")
+        os.symlink("/usr/bin/id", "actions/id")
+
+    @classmethod
+    def tearDownClass(cls):
+        os.remove("actions/echo")
+        os.remove("actions/id")
+
     def test_run_as_root(self):
         """1. Privileged actions run as root.