diff --git a/.github/workflows/pyspark.yml b/.github/workflows/pyspark.yml
index 4744c58af..3ceda7822 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/pyspark.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/pyspark.yml
@@ -55,7 +55,7 @@ jobs:
     - name: Install Poetry
       working-directory: pyspark
       run: |
-        yes | sudo python3 -m pip install poetry --quiet
+        yes | python3 -m pip install poetry --quiet
         poetry env use python3
 
     - name: Lint
diff --git a/maven-projects/java/src/test/java/org/apache/graphar/graphinfo/GraphInfoTest.java b/maven-projects/java/src/test/java/org/apache/graphar/graphinfo/GraphInfoTest.java
index 07b111c13..4b84b15ae 100644
--- a/maven-projects/java/src/test/java/org/apache/graphar/graphinfo/GraphInfoTest.java
+++ b/maven-projects/java/src/test/java/org/apache/graphar/graphinfo/GraphInfoTest.java
@@ -32,7 +32,36 @@
 import org.junit.Test;
 
 public class GraphInfoTest {
-    public static final String root = System.getenv("GAR_TEST_DATA") + "/java";
+    private static String resolveTestData() {
+        String path = System.getenv("GAR_TEST_DATA");
+        if (path == null) {
+            path = System.getProperty("gar.test.data");
+        }
+        if (path == null) {
+            String[] candidates = {"../../testing", "../testing", "testing"};
+            for (String p : candidates) {
+                java.io.File dir = new java.io.File(p).getAbsoluteFile();
+                if (new java.io.File(dir, "ldbc_sample/csv/ldbc_sample.graph.yml").exists()) {
+                    path = dir.getAbsolutePath();
+                    break;
+                }
+            }
+            if (path == null) {
+                throw new RuntimeException(
+                        "GAR_TEST_DATA not found or invalid. Please set GAR_TEST_DATA environment variable to point to the testing directory or ensure the testing directory exists with ldbc_sample/csv/ldbc_sample.graph.yml");
+            }
+        }
+        java.io.File baseDir = new java.io.File(path).getAbsoluteFile();
+        java.io.File markerFile =
+                new java.io.File(baseDir, "ldbc_sample/csv/ldbc_sample.graph.yml");
+        if (!baseDir.isDirectory() || !markerFile.exists()) {
+            throw new RuntimeException(
+                    "GAR_TEST_DATA not found or invalid. Please set GAR_TEST_DATA environment variable to point to the testing directory or ensure the testing directory exists with ldbc_sample/csv/ldbc_sample.graph.yml");
+        }
+        return baseDir.getAbsolutePath();
+    }
+
+    public static final String root = resolveTestData() + "/java";
 
     @Test
     public void test1() {
diff --git a/maven-projects/spark/graphar/src/test/scala/org/apache/graphar/BaseTestSuite.scala b/maven-projects/spark/graphar/src/test/scala/org/apache/graphar/BaseTestSuite.scala
index 2545d7ed0..4e3232eeb 100644
--- a/maven-projects/spark/graphar/src/test/scala/org/apache/graphar/BaseTestSuite.scala
+++ b/maven-projects/spark/graphar/src/test/scala/org/apache/graphar/BaseTestSuite.scala
@@ -29,10 +29,42 @@ abstract class BaseTestSuite extends AnyFunSuite with BeforeAndAfterAll {
   var spark: SparkSession = _
 
   override def beforeAll(): Unit = {
-    if (System.getenv("GAR_TEST_DATA") == null) {
-      throw new IllegalArgumentException("GAR_TEST_DATA is not set")
+    def resolveTestData(): String = {
+      var testDataPath: String =
+        Option(System.getenv("GAR_TEST_DATA"))
+          .orElse(Option(System.getProperty("gar.test.data")))
+          .orNull
+
+      if (testDataPath == null) {
+        val candidates = Seq("../../testing", "../testing", "testing")
+        candidates.foreach { p =>
+          val dir = new java.io.File(p).getAbsoluteFile
+          val marker =
+            new java.io.File(dir, "ldbc_sample/csv/ldbc_sample.graph.yml")
+          if (dir.exists() && dir.isDirectory && marker.isFile) {
+            testDataPath = dir.getAbsolutePath
+            return testDataPath
+          }
+        }
+      }
+
+      if (testDataPath != null) {
+        val dir = new java.io.File(testDataPath)
+        val marker =
+          new java.io.File(dir, "ldbc_sample/csv/ldbc_sample.graph.yml")
+        if (dir.exists() && dir.isDirectory && marker.isFile) {
+          return testDataPath
+        }
+      }
+
+      throw new RuntimeException(
+        "GAR_TEST_DATA not found or invalid. " +
+          "Please set GAR_TEST_DATA environment variable to point to the testing directory " +
+          "or ensure the testing directory exists with ldbc_sample/csv/ldbc_sample.graph.yml"
+      )
     }
-    testData = System.getenv("GAR_TEST_DATA")
+
+    testData = resolveTestData()
     spark = SparkSession
       .builder()
       .enableHiveSupport()