diff --git a/parsl/channels/local/local.py b/parsl/channels/local/local.py
index ab301e1f19..9adf2f3fb3 100644
--- a/parsl/channels/local/local.py
+++ b/parsl/channels/local/local.py
@@ -15,14 +15,14 @@ class LocalChannel(Channel, RepresentationMixin):
     and done so infrequently that they do not need a persistent channel
     '''
 
-    def __init__(self, script_dir=None):
+    def __init__(self):
         ''' Initialize the local channel. script_dir is required by set to a default.
 
         KwArgs:
             - script_dir (string): Directory to place scripts
         '''
         self.hostname = "localhost"
-        self.script_dir = script_dir
+        self.script_dir = None
 
     def execute_wait(self, cmd, walltime=None):
         ''' Synchronously execute a commandline string on the shell.
diff --git a/parsl/tests/test_providers/test_pbspro_template.py b/parsl/tests/test_providers/test_pbspro_template.py
index 1a61118047..dec987ccbb 100644
--- a/parsl/tests/test_providers/test_pbspro_template.py
+++ b/parsl/tests/test_providers/test_pbspro_template.py
@@ -12,9 +12,10 @@ def test_submit_script_basic(tmp_path):
     """Test slurm resources table"""
 
     provider = PBSProProvider(
-        queue="debug", channel=LocalChannel(script_dir=tmp_path)
+        queue="debug", channel=LocalChannel()
     )
     provider.script_dir = tmp_path
+    provider.channel.script_dir = tmp_path
     job_id = str(random.randint(55000, 59000))
     provider.execute_wait = mock.Mock(spec=PBSProProvider.execute_wait)
     provider.execute_wait.return_value = (0, job_id, "")
diff --git a/parsl/tests/test_providers/test_slurm_template.py b/parsl/tests/test_providers/test_slurm_template.py
index 72bacf4e1d..57fd8e4d0b 100644
--- a/parsl/tests/test_providers/test_slurm_template.py
+++ b/parsl/tests/test_providers/test_slurm_template.py
@@ -13,9 +13,10 @@ def test_submit_script_basic(tmp_path):
     """Test slurm resources table"""
 
     provider = SlurmProvider(
-        partition="debug", channel=LocalChannel(script_dir=tmp_path)
+        partition="debug", channel=LocalChannel()
     )
     provider.script_dir = tmp_path
+    provider.channel.script_dir = tmp_path
     job_id = str(random.randint(55000, 59000))
     provider.execute_wait = mock.MagicMock(spec=SlurmProvider.execute_wait)
     provider.execute_wait.return_value = (0, f"Submitted batch job {job_id}", "")