diff --git a/util/run-gnu-test.sh b/util/run-gnu-test.sh
index 23d78ca625a..d36f534a101 100755
--- a/util/run-gnu-test.sh
+++ b/util/run-gnu-test.sh
@@ -2,7 +2,7 @@
 # `run-gnu-test.bash [TEST]`
 # run GNU test (or all tests if TEST is missing/null)
 
-# spell-checker:ignore (env/vars) GNULIB SRCDIR SUBDIRS OSTYPE MAKEFLAGS; (utils) shellcheck greadlink
+# spell-checker:ignore (env/vars) GNULIB SRCDIR SUBDIRS OSTYPE MAKEFLAGS; (utils) shellcheck greadlink ginstall
 
 # ref: [How the GNU coreutils are tested](https://www.pixelbeat.org/docs/coreutils-testing.html) @@ <https://archive.is/p2ITW>
 # * note: to run a single test => `make check TESTS=PATH/TO/TEST/SCRIPT SUBDIRS=. VERBOSE=yes`
@@ -35,6 +35,39 @@ export MAKEFLAGS
 
 cd "${path_GNU}" && echo "[ pwd:'${PWD}' ]"
 
+# --- Self-heal: make the shared GNU harness point at THIS checkout ----------
+# ${path_GNU} is shared between sibling uutils checkouts; whichever one last ran
+# build-gnu.sh leaves its own target dir patched into the Makefile/local.mk
+# PATH, so the harness can silently run a stale/other build. Re-point the PATH
+# (and re-create the multicall hardlinks) here so that running this script is
+# enough to test the current tree - no full rebuild just because another
+# checkout stole the PATH.
+: "${PROFILE:=debug}"
+if [ -n "${CARGO_TARGET_DIR}" ]; then
+    UU_BUILD_DIR="${CARGO_TARGET_DIR}/${PROFILE}"
+else
+    UU_BUILD_DIR="${path_UUTILS}/target/${PROFILE}"
+fi
+if [ ! -x "${UU_BUILD_DIR}/coreutils" ]; then
+    echo "error: no coreutils binary at '${UU_BUILD_DIR}'." >&2
+    echo "       run 'bash util/build-gnu.sh' first (PROFILE=${PROFILE})." >&2
+    exit 1
+fi
+echo "Re-pointing GNU harness at '${UU_BUILD_DIR}'"
+for binary in $("${UU_BUILD_DIR}/coreutils" --list); do
+    tgt="${UU_BUILD_DIR}/${binary}"
+    [ "${tgt}" -ef "${UU_BUILD_DIR}/coreutils" ] || ln -f "${UU_BUILD_DIR}/coreutils" "${tgt}"
+done
+# The GNU tests invoke `ginstall` rather than `install`.
+[ -e "${UU_BUILD_DIR}/ginstall" ] || [ ! -e "${UU_BUILD_DIR}/install" ] || ln -f "${UU_BUILD_DIR}/install" "${UU_BUILD_DIR}/ginstall"
+uu_path_sed="s/^[[:blank:]]*PATH=.*/  PATH='${UU_BUILD_DIR//\//\\/}\$(PATH_SEPARATOR)'\"\$\$PATH\" \\\/"
+for f in Makefile tests/local.mk; do
+    if [ -f "${f}" ]; then sed -i "${uu_path_sed}" "${f}"; fi
+done
+# Keep Makefile newer than Makefile.in so make won't regenerate it and undo the patch.
+if [ -f Makefile ]; then touch Makefile; fi
+# ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
+
 export RUST_BACKTRACE=1
 
 # Determine if we have SELinux tests