diff --git a/matlab/tests/test_requestnames.m b/matlab/tests/test_requestnames.m
index 69e3831c361dd5c7a12158d07c28dcbf60465186..69bb158ec43590087dbe51de9ef80799d481f73c 100644
--- a/matlab/tests/test_requestnames.m
+++ b/matlab/tests/test_requestnames.m
@@ -1,30 +1,30 @@
 classdef (SharedTestFixtures={...
     check_mds,setup_gdatpaths}) ...
     test_requestnames < matlab.unittest.TestCase
-  
+
   properties (Abstract)
     Machine;
   end
-  
+
   properties(TestParameter,Abstract)
     % parameters that will vary during tests
     shot;
     requests_fast; % placeholders
     requests_slow;
   end
-  
+
   methods(Test,TestTags = {'fast'})
     function test_gdat_call_fast(testCase,shot,requests_fast)
       test_gdat_call(testCase,shot,requests_fast);
     end
   end
-  
+
   methods(Test,TestTags = {'slow'})
     function test_gdat_call_slow(testCase,shot,requests_slow)
       test_gdat_call(testCase,shot,requests_slow);
     end
   end
-  
+
 end
 
 function test_gdat_call(testCase,shot,request)
@@ -34,6 +34,10 @@ testCase.assertTrue(ischar(request));
 
 % gdat call
 gdat_call = sprintf(['gdat_' lower(testCase.Machine) '(%s,''%s'')'],shot,request);
+if strcmp(request,'eqdsk')
+  % avoid writing files in /tmp, may not be allowed
+  gdat_call = sprintf(['gdat_' lower(testCase.Machine) '(%s,''%s'',''write'',0)'],shot,request);
+end
 
 % logging
 fprintf('Testing gdat call: %s\n',gdat_call);
@@ -45,4 +49,4 @@ gdat_out = eval(gdat_call); %#ok<NASGU>
 %  'Warning issued from gdat call:\n   %s\n',gdat_call);
 
 % (add optional sanity checks of gdat_out here)
-end
\ No newline at end of file
+end