diff --git a/.circleci/config.yml b/.circleci/config.yml
index 661b64188b..3538f047ac 100644
--- a/.circleci/config.yml
+++ b/.circleci/config.yml
@@ -1,7 +1,21 @@
 version: 2
 
+orbs:
+    python: circleci/python@2.0.3
+
 jobs:
 
+  test-macos:
+    macos:
+      xcode: "12.5.1"
+    # resource_class: macos.x86.medium.gen2
+    working_directory: ~/ocrd-core
+    steps:
+      - checkout
+      - run: HOMEBREW_NO_AUTO_UPDATE=1 brew install imagemagick
+      - run: make deps-test install PIP=pip3
+      - run: make test PYTHON=python3
+
   test-python36:
     docker:
       - image: python:3.6.12
@@ -66,3 +80,4 @@ workflows:
       - test-python37
       - test-python38
       - test-python39
+      - test-macos
diff --git a/ocrd_utils/ocrd_utils/os.py b/ocrd_utils/ocrd_utils/os.py
index c38811b30e..0595503234 100644
--- a/ocrd_utils/ocrd_utils/os.py
+++ b/ocrd_utils/ocrd_utils/os.py
@@ -12,7 +12,7 @@
     'atomic_write',
 ]
 
-from tempfile import TemporaryDirectory
+from tempfile import TemporaryDirectory, gettempdir
 from functools import lru_cache
 import contextlib
 from distutils.spawn import find_executable as which
@@ -47,16 +47,16 @@ def pushd_popd(newcwd=None, tempdir=False):
         oldcwd = getcwd()
     except FileNotFoundError:
         # This happens when a directory is deleted before the context is exited
-        oldcwd = '/tmp'
+        oldcwd = gettempdir()
     try:
         if tempdir:
             with TemporaryDirectory() as tempcwd:
                 chdir(tempcwd)
-                yield tempcwd
+                yield Path(tempcwd).resolve()
         else:
             if newcwd:
                 chdir(newcwd)
-            yield newcwd
+            yield Path(newcwd).resolve()
     finally:
         chdir(oldcwd)
 
diff --git a/tests/cli/test_workspace.py b/tests/cli/test_workspace.py
index 0583df3233..bbbda7ff14 100644
--- a/tests/cli/test_workspace.py
+++ b/tests/cli/test_workspace.py
@@ -131,6 +131,7 @@ def test_add_remove_force(self):
         content = 'x'
         mimetype = 'image/tiff'
         with TemporaryDirectory() as tempdir:
+            tempdir = str(Path(tempdir).resolve())
             content_file = join(tempdir, 'testfile')
             with open(content_file, 'w') as f:
                 f.write(content)
@@ -236,6 +237,7 @@ def test_add_existing_checked(self):
         file_grp = 'TEST_GROUP'
         mimetype = 'image/tiff'
         with TemporaryDirectory() as tempdir:
+            tempdir = str(Path(tempdir).resolve())
             content_file = join(tempdir, 'test.tif')
             ws = self.resolver.workspace_from_nothing(directory=tempdir)
             ws.save_mets()
@@ -308,6 +310,7 @@ def test_remove_file_group(self):
         Test removal of filegrp
         """
         with TemporaryDirectory() as tempdir:
+            tempdir = str(Path(tempdir).resolve())
             wsdir = join(tempdir, 'ws')
             copytree(assets.path_to('SBB0000F29300010000/data'), wsdir)
             file_group = 'OCR-D-GT-PAGE'
diff --git a/tests/test_utils.py b/tests/test_utils.py
index e1da91a586..2d16e7a134 100644
--- a/tests/test_utils.py
+++ b/tests/test_utils.py
@@ -45,6 +45,7 @@
 from ocrd_models.utils import xmllint_format
 from ocrd_models import OcrdMets
 
+
 class TestUtils(TestCase):
 
     def test_abspath(self):
@@ -146,16 +147,21 @@ def test_pil_version(self):
 
     def test_pushd_popd_newcwd(self):
         cwd = getcwd()
-        with pushd_popd('/tmp'):
-            self.assertEqual(getcwd(), '/tmp')
+        tmp_dir = Path(gettempdir()).resolve()
+        with pushd_popd(tmp_dir):
+            self.assertEqual(getcwd(), str(tmp_dir))
         self.assertEqual(getcwd(), cwd)
+        assert getcwd() == cwd
 
     def test_pushd_popd_tempdir(self):
         cwd = getcwd()
+        tmp_dir = str(Path(gettempdir()).resolve())
         with pushd_popd(tempdir=True) as newcwd:
-            self.assertEqual(getcwd(), newcwd)
-            self.assertTrue(newcwd.startswith(gettempdir()))
+            newcwd_str = str(newcwd)
+            self.assertEqual(getcwd(), newcwd_str)
+            self.assertTrue(newcwd_str.startswith(tmp_dir))
         self.assertEqual(getcwd(), cwd)
+        assert getcwd() == cwd
 
     def test_pushd_popd_bad_call(self):
         with self.assertRaisesRegex(Exception, 'pushd_popd can accept either newcwd or tempdir, not both'):
diff --git a/tests/validator/test_workspace_validator.py b/tests/validator/test_workspace_validator.py
index 3648e4c5ad..8438afcfd4 100644
--- a/tests/validator/test_workspace_validator.py
+++ b/tests/validator/test_workspace_validator.py
@@ -190,7 +190,7 @@ def test_dimensions(self):
             wsdir = join(tempdir, 'foo')
             copytree(assets.path_to('kant_aufklaerung_1784/data'), wsdir)
             with pushd_popd(wsdir):
-                os.system("""sed -i 's,imageHeight="2083",imageHeight="1234",' OCR-D-GT-PAGE/PAGE_0017_PAGE.xml""")
+                os.system("""sed -i.bak 's,imageHeight="2083",imageHeight="1234",' OCR-D-GT-PAGE/PAGE_0017_PAGE.xml""")
                 report = WorkspaceValidator.validate(
                     self.resolver,
                     join(wsdir, 'mets.xml'),
@@ -229,7 +229,7 @@ def test_pcgtsid(self):
         with copy_of_directory(assets.path_to('kant_aufklaerung_1784/data')) as wsdir:
             with pushd_popd(wsdir):
                 # remove the @pcGtsId attribute for testing
-                os.system("""sed -i 's,pcGtsId.*,pcGtsId="foo">,' OCR-D-GT-PAGE/PAGE_0017_PAGE.xml""")
+                os.system("""sed -i.bak 's,pcGtsId.*,pcGtsId="foo">,' OCR-D-GT-PAGE/PAGE_0017_PAGE.xml""")
                 report = WorkspaceValidator.validate(self.resolver, join(wsdir, 'mets.xml'))
                 self.assertIn('pc:PcGts/@pcGtsId differs from mets:file/@ID: "foo" !== "PAGE_0017_PAGE"', report.warnings)