diff --git a/.drone.yml b/.drone.yml
index 74306db1..1489b6bf 100644
--- a/.drone.yml
+++ b/.drone.yml
@@ -66,8 +66,8 @@ steps:
     commands:
       - apt-get update
       - apt-get -y install --no-install-recommends bash curl postgresql-client
-      - cd api_tests/
       - bash prepare-drone-federation-test.sh
+      - cd api_tests/
       - yarn
       - yarn api-test
 
diff --git a/api_tests/prepare-drone-federation-test.sh b/api_tests/prepare-drone-federation-test.sh
index 96393f68..aadf52ad 100755
--- a/api_tests/prepare-drone-federation-test.sh
+++ b/api_tests/prepare-drone-federation-test.sh
@@ -1,9 +1,6 @@
 #!/bin/bash
 set -e
 
-# change folder so the config can be read from the default location
-cd ..
-
 export LEMMY_JWT_SECRET=changeme
 export LEMMY_FEDERATION__ENABLED=true
 export LEMMY_TLS_ENABLED=false
@@ -14,6 +11,8 @@ export LEMMY_CAPTCHA__ENABLED=false
 export RUST_BACKTRACE=1
 export RUST_LOG=debug
 
+ls -la target/debug/lemmy_server
+
 echo "start alpha"
 LEMMY_HOSTNAME=lemmy-alpha:8541 \
   LEMMY_PORT=8541 \