diff --git a/tests/integration/helpers.bash b/tests/integration/helpers.bash
index a35ec62d71e..2cd48cce628 100644
--- a/tests/integration/helpers.bash
+++ b/tests/integration/helpers.bash
@@ -149,11 +149,11 @@ function init_cgroup_paths() {
 	else
 		CGROUP_UNIFIED=no
 		CGROUP_SUBSYSTEMS=$(awk '!/^#/ {print $1}' /proc/cgroups)
+		local g base_path
 		for g in ${CGROUP_SUBSYSTEMS}; do
 			base_path=$(gawk '$(NF-2) == "cgroup" && $NF ~ /\<'${g}'\>/ { print $5; exit }' /proc/self/mountinfo)
 			test -z "$base_path" && continue
 			eval CGROUP_${g^^}_BASE_PATH="${base_path}"
-			eval CGROUP_${g^^}="${base_path}${REL_CGROUPS_PATH}"
 		done
 	fi
 }
@@ -167,14 +167,16 @@ function set_cgroups_path() {
 
 # Helper to check a value in cgroups.
 function check_cgroup_value() {
-	source=$1
-	expected=$2
+	local source=$1
+	local expected=$2
+	local cgroup var current
 
 	if [ "x$CGROUP_UNIFIED" = "xyes" ]; then
 		cgroup=$CGROUP_PATH
 	else
-		ctrl=${source%%.*}
-		eval cgroup=\$CGROUP_${ctrl^^}
+		var=${source%%.*}             # controller name (e.g. memory)
+		var=CGROUP_${var^^}_BASE_PATH # variable name (e.g. CGROUP_MEMORY_BASE_PATH)
+		eval cgroup=\$var${REL_CGROUPS_PATH}
 	fi
 
 	current=$(cat $cgroup/$source)
diff --git a/tests/integration/update.bats b/tests/integration/update.bats
index bea67312d2c..149da63cff9 100644
--- a/tests/integration/update.bats
+++ b/tests/integration/update.bats
@@ -532,10 +532,12 @@ EOF
 	[[ "$ROOTLESS" -ne 0 ]] && requires rootless_cgroup
 	requires cgroups_v1 cgroups_rt no_systemd
 
-	# By default, "${CGROUP_CPU}/cpu.rt_runtime_us" is set to 0, which inhibits
+	local cgroup_cpu="${CGROUP_CPU_BASE_PATH}/${REL_CGROUPS_PATH}"
+
+	# By default, "${cgroup_cpu}/cpu.rt_runtime_us" is set to 0, which inhibits
 	# setting the container's realtimeRuntime. (#2046)
 	#
-	# When $CGROUP_CPU is "/sys/fs/cgroup/cpu,cpuacct/runc-cgroups-integration-test/test-cgroup",
+	# When ${cgroup_cpu} is "/sys/fs/cgroup/cpu,cpuacct/runc-cgroups-integration-test/test-cgroup",
 	# we write the values of /sys/fs/cgroup/cpu,cpuacct/cpu.rt_{period,runtime}_us to:
 	# - sys/fs/cgroup/cpu,cpuacct/runc-cgroups-integration-test/cpu.rt_{period,runtime}_us
 	# - sys/fs/cgroup/cpu,cpuacct/runc-cgroups-integration-test/test-cgroup/cpu.rt_{period,runtime}_us
@@ -543,12 +545,12 @@ EOF
 	# Typically period=1000000 runtime=950000 .
 	#
 	# TODO: support systemd
-	mkdir -p "$CGROUP_CPU"
+	mkdir -p "$cgroup_cpu"
 	local root_period root_runtime
 	root_period=$(cat "${CGROUP_CPU_BASE_PATH}/cpu.rt_period_us")
 	root_runtime=$(cat "${CGROUP_CPU_BASE_PATH}/cpu.rt_runtime_us")
 	# the following IFS magic sets dirs=("runc-cgroups-integration-test" "test-cgroup")
-	IFS='/' read -r -a dirs <<<"${CGROUP_CPU//${CGROUP_CPU_BASE_PATH}/}"
+	IFS='/' read -r -a dirs <<<"$REL_CGROUPS_PATH"
 	for ((i = 0; i < ${#dirs[@]}; i++)); do
 		local target="$CGROUP_CPU_BASE_PATH"
 		for ((j = 0; j <= i; j++)); do