diff --git a/tests/testutils.cpp b/tests/testutils.cpp
index 30e2c82..1cb429c 100644
--- a/tests/testutils.cpp
+++ b/tests/testutils.cpp
@@ -165,7 +165,7 @@ string TestApplication::testFilePath(const string &name) const
  * \brief Returns the full path to a working copy of the test file with the specified \a name.
  * \remarks Currently only available under UNIX.
  */
-string TestApplication::workingCopyPath(const string &name) const
+string TestApplication::workingCopyPathMode(const string &name, WorkingCopyMode mode) const
 {
     // create file streams
     fstream origFile, workingCopy;
@@ -200,19 +200,28 @@ string TestApplication::workingCopyPath(const string &name) const
     }
 
     // copy file
-    try {
-        origFile.open(testFilePath(name), ios_base::in | ios_base::binary);
-        const string path = m_workingDir + name;
-        workingCopy.open(path, ios_base::out | ios_base::binary | ios_base::trunc);
-        workingCopy << origFile.rdbuf();
-        return path;
-    } catch(...) {
-        catchIoFailure();
-        cerr << "Unable to create working copy for \"" << name << "\": an IO error occured." << endl;
+    if(mode != WorkingCopyMode::NoCopy) {
+        try {
+            origFile.open(testFilePath(name), ios_base::in | ios_base::binary);
+            const string path = m_workingDir + name;
+            workingCopy.open(path, ios_base::out | ios_base::binary | ios_base::trunc);
+            workingCopy << origFile.rdbuf();
+            return path;
+        } catch(...) {
+            catchIoFailure();
+            cerr << "Unable to create working copy for \"" << name << "\": an IO error occured." << endl;
+        }
+    } else {
+        return m_workingDir + name;
     }
     return string();
 }
 
+string TestApplication::workingCopyPath(const string &name) const
+{
+    return workingCopyPathMode(name, WorkingCopyMode::CreateCopy);
+}
+
 /*!
  * \brief Executes the application to be tested with the specified \a args and stores the standard output and
  *        errors in \a stdout and \a stderr.
diff --git a/tests/testutils.h b/tests/testutils.h
index 2d958bf..5637824 100644
--- a/tests/testutils.h
+++ b/tests/testutils.h
@@ -8,6 +8,15 @@
 
 namespace TestUtilities {
 
+/*!
+ * \brief The WorkingCopyMode enum specifies additional options to influence behavior of TestApplication::workingCopyPathMode().
+ */
+enum class WorkingCopyMode
+{
+    CreateCopy, /**< a working copy of the test file is created */
+    NoCopy /**< only the directory for the working copy is created but not the test file itself */
+};
+
 class CPP_UTILITIES_EXPORT TestApplication
 {
 public:
@@ -17,6 +26,7 @@ public:
     operator bool() const;
     std::string testFilePath(const std::string &name) const;
 #ifdef PLATFORM_UNIX
+    std::string workingCopyPathMode(const std::string &name, WorkingCopyMode mode) const;
     std::string workingCopyPath(const std::string &name) const;
     int execApp(const char *const *args, std::string &output, std::string &errors, bool suppressLogging = false, int timeout = -1) const;
 #endif
@@ -95,6 +105,16 @@ inline CPP_UTILITIES_EXPORT std::string workingCopyPath(const std::string &name)
     return TestApplication::instance()->workingCopyPath(name);
 }
 
+/*!
+ * \brief Convenience function which returns the full path to a working copy of the test file with the specified \a name.
+ * \remarks A TestApplication must be present.
+ * \sa TestApplication::workingCopyPathEx()
+ */
+inline CPP_UTILITIES_EXPORT std::string workingCopyPathMode(const std::string &name, WorkingCopyMode mode)
+{
+    return TestApplication::instance()->workingCopyPathMode(name, mode);
+}
+
 /*!
  * \brief Convenience function which executes the application to be tested with the specified \a args.
  * \remarks A TestApplication must be present.