diff --git a/bin/tests/system/ifconfig.sh b/bin/tests/system/ifconfig.sh
index f7231aa9f1..19c903cf73 100644
--- a/bin/tests/system/ifconfig.sh
+++ b/bin/tests/system/ifconfig.sh
@@ -19,7 +19,15 @@
 # Set up interface aliases for bind9 system tests.
 #
 
-sys=`../../../config.guess`
+# If running on hp-ux, don't even try to run config.guess.
+# It will try to create a temporary file in the current directory,
+# which fails when running as root with the current directory
+# on a NFS mounted disk.
+
+case `uname -a` in
+  *HP-UX*) sys=hpux ;;
+  *) sys=`../../../config.guess` ;;
+esac
 
 case "$1" in
 
@@ -61,6 +69,9 @@ case "$1" in
 		    *-ibm-aix4.*)
 			ifconfig lo0 alias 10.53.0.$ns
 			;;
+		    hpux)
+			ifconfig lo0:$ns 10.53.0.$ns up
+		        ;;
 	            *)
 			echo "Don't know how to set up interface.  Giving up."
 			exit 1
@@ -106,6 +117,9 @@ case "$1" in
 		    *-ibm-aix4.*)
 			ifconfig lo0 delete 10.53.0.$ns
 			;;
+		    hpux)
+			ifconfig lo0:$ns 10.53.0.$ns down
+		        ;;
 	            *)
 			echo "Don't know how to destroy interface.  Giving up."
 			exit 1