diff --git a/run_tests.py b/run_tests.py
index f510c41bc..ebbce0586 100755
--- a/run_tests.py
+++ b/run_tests.py
@@ -142,6 +142,14 @@ def get_build_cmds(bitness, host):
     return extract_build_cmds(commands, os.path.basename(target))
 
 
+def setup_test_directory():
+    """Prepares a device test directory for use by the shell user."""
+    device_dir = '/data/local/tmp/libcxx'
+    check_call(['adb', 'shell', 'rm', '-rf', device_dir])
+    check_call(['adb', 'shell', 'mkdir', '-p', device_dir])
+    check_call(['adb', 'shell', 'chown', '-R', 'shell:shell', device_dir])
+
+
 def main():
     """Program entry point."""
     logging.basicConfig(level=logging.INFO)
@@ -176,6 +184,9 @@ def main():
         have_filter_args = True
         break  # No need to keep scanning.
 
+    if not args.host:
+        setup_test_directory()
+
     lit_args = [
         '-sv', android_mode_arg, cxx_under_test_arg, cxx_template_arg,
         link_template_arg, libcxx_site_cfg_arg, libcxxabi_site_cfg_arg
diff --git a/utils/libcxx/android/executors.py b/utils/libcxx/android/executors.py
index 7bf3413d1..d3c5d6875 100644
--- a/utils/libcxx/android/executors.py
+++ b/utils/libcxx/android/executors.py
@@ -16,7 +16,7 @@ class AdbExecutor(libcxx.test.executor.RemoteExecutor):
 
     def _remote_temp(self, is_dir):
         dir_arg = '-d' if is_dir else ''
-        cmd = 'mktemp -q {} /data/local/tmp/libcxx.XXXXXXXXXX'.format(dir_arg)
+        cmd = 'mktemp -q {} /data/local/tmp/libcxx/temp.XXXXXX'.format(dir_arg)
         _, temp_path, err, exitCode = self._execute_command_remote([cmd])
         temp_path = temp_path.strip()
         if exitCode != 0:
@@ -32,7 +32,7 @@ class AdbExecutor(libcxx.test.executor.RemoteExecutor):
             adb_cmd.extend(['-s', self.serial])
 
         delimiter = 'x'
-        probe_cmd = ' '.join(cmd) + '; echo {}$?'.format(delimiter)
+        probe_cmd = 'su shell {}; echo {}$?'.format(' '.join(cmd), delimiter)
 
         env_cmd = []
         if env is not None: