diff --git a/test/ninja/build_libraries.py b/test/ninja/build_libraries.py
index 0561f6f54..9436053c7 100644
--- a/test/ninja/build_libraries.py
+++ b/test/ninja/build_libraries.py
@@ -34,7 +34,7 @@
 except ImportError:
     test.skip_test("Could not find ninja module. Skipping test.\n")
 
-ninja_bin = test.ninja_binary()
+ninja_bin = TestSCons.NINJA_BINARY
 
 test.dir_fixture('ninja-fixture')
 
diff --git a/test/ninja/command_line_targets.py b/test/ninja/command_line_targets.py
index b043f62bc..1a6033b9e 100644
--- a/test/ninja/command_line_targets.py
+++ b/test/ninja/command_line_targets.py
@@ -36,7 +36,7 @@
 _python_ = TestSCons._python_
 _exe = TestSCons._exe
 
-ninja_bin = test.ninja_binary()
+ninja_bin = TestSCons.NINJA_BINARY
 
 test.dir_fixture('ninja-fixture')
 
diff --git a/test/ninja/copy_function_command.py b/test/ninja/copy_function_command.py
index 13036ee3a..e8721a19d 100644
--- a/test/ninja/copy_function_command.py
+++ b/test/ninja/copy_function_command.py
@@ -37,7 +37,7 @@
 _python_ = TestSCons._python_
 _exe = TestSCons._exe
 
-ninja_bin = test.ninja_binary()
+ninja_bin = TestSCons.NINJA_BINARY
 
 test.dir_fixture('ninja-fixture')
 
diff --git a/test/ninja/default_targets.py b/test/ninja/default_targets.py
index 7752d5ab7..e809d7537 100644
--- a/test/ninja/default_targets.py
+++ b/test/ninja/default_targets.py
@@ -36,7 +36,7 @@
 _python_ = TestSCons._python_
 _exe = TestSCons._exe
 
-ninja_bin = test.ninja_binary()
+ninja_bin = TestSCons.NINJA_BINARY
 
 test.dir_fixture('ninja-fixture')
 
diff --git a/test/ninja/force_scons_callback.py b/test/ninja/force_scons_callback.py
index b668f92c9..3ae5a5a61 100644
--- a/test/ninja/force_scons_callback.py
+++ b/test/ninja/force_scons_callback.py
@@ -37,8 +37,7 @@
 _python_ = TestSCons._python_
 _exe = TestSCons._exe
 
-ninja_bin = test.ninja_binary()
-
+ninja_bin = TestSCons.NINJA_BINARY
 
 test.dir_fixture("ninja-fixture")
 
diff --git a/test/ninja/generate_and_build.py b/test/ninja/generate_and_build.py
index c14af7045..9d056836f 100644
--- a/test/ninja/generate_and_build.py
+++ b/test/ninja/generate_and_build.py
@@ -37,7 +37,7 @@
 _python_ = TestSCons._python_
 _exe = TestSCons._exe
 
-ninja_bin = test.ninja_binary()
+ninja_bin = TestSCons.NINJA_BINARY
 
 test.dir_fixture('ninja-fixture')
 
diff --git a/test/ninja/generate_and_build_cxx.py b/test/ninja/generate_and_build_cxx.py
index 51f68dca0..80faa4bbe 100644
--- a/test/ninja/generate_and_build_cxx.py
+++ b/test/ninja/generate_and_build_cxx.py
@@ -37,7 +37,7 @@
 _python_ = TestSCons._python_
 _exe = TestSCons._exe
 
-ninja_bin = test.ninja_binary()
+ninja_bin = TestSCons.NINJA_BINARY
 
 test.dir_fixture('ninja-fixture')
 
diff --git a/test/ninja/generate_source.py b/test/ninja/generate_source.py
index f4bd0c0ae..b848b17c1 100644
--- a/test/ninja/generate_source.py
+++ b/test/ninja/generate_source.py
@@ -37,7 +37,7 @@
 _python_ = TestSCons._python_
 _exe = TestSCons._exe
 
-ninja_bin = test.ninja_binary()
+ninja_bin = TestSCons.NINJA_BINARY
 
 test.dir_fixture('ninja-fixture')
 
diff --git a/test/ninja/generated_sources_alias.py b/test/ninja/generated_sources_alias.py
index 3e7f9d16b..22ca734b3 100644
--- a/test/ninja/generated_sources_alias.py
+++ b/test/ninja/generated_sources_alias.py
@@ -37,8 +37,7 @@
 _python_ = TestSCons._python_
 _exe = TestSCons._exe
 
-ninja_bin = test.ninja_binary()
-
+ninja_bin = TestSCons.NINJA_BINARY
 
 test.dir_fixture('ninja-fixture')
 
diff --git a/test/ninja/iterative_speedup.py b/test/ninja/iterative_speedup.py
index 819017532..cbd4b6ac9 100644
--- a/test/ninja/iterative_speedup.py
+++ b/test/ninja/iterative_speedup.py
@@ -39,7 +39,7 @@
 _python_ = TestSCons._python_
 _exe = TestSCons._exe
 
-ninja_bin = test.ninja_binary()
+ninja_bin = TestSCons.NINJA_BINARY
 
 test.dir_fixture('ninja-fixture')
 
diff --git a/test/ninja/mingw_command_generator_action.py b/test/ninja/mingw_command_generator_action.py
index 8fc08a816..ad7878469 100644
--- a/test/ninja/mingw_command_generator_action.py
+++ b/test/ninja/mingw_command_generator_action.py
@@ -52,7 +52,7 @@
 _python_ = TestSCons._python_
 _exe = TestSCons._exe
 
-ninja_bin = test.ninja_binary()
+ninja_bin = TestSCons.NINJA_BINARY
 
 test.dir_fixture('ninja-fixture')
 
diff --git a/test/ninja/mingw_depfile_format.py b/test/ninja/mingw_depfile_format.py
index e9c89a0f6..7792440d0 100644
--- a/test/ninja/mingw_depfile_format.py
+++ b/test/ninja/mingw_depfile_format.py
@@ -36,7 +36,7 @@
 _python_ = TestSCons._python_
 _exe = TestSCons._exe
 
-ninja_bin = test.ninja_binary()
+ninja_bin = TestSCons.NINJA_BINARY
 
 test.dir_fixture('ninja-fixture')
 
diff --git a/test/ninja/mkdir_function_command.py b/test/ninja/mkdir_function_command.py
index c01cb982f..3fd678a3f 100644
--- a/test/ninja/mkdir_function_command.py
+++ b/test/ninja/mkdir_function_command.py
@@ -37,7 +37,7 @@
 _python_ = TestSCons._python_
 _exe = TestSCons._exe
 
-ninja_bin = test.ninja_binary()
+ninja_bin = TestSCons.NINJA_BINARY
 
 test.write('SConstruct', """
 SetOption('experimental','ninja')
diff --git a/test/ninja/multi_env.py b/test/ninja/multi_env.py
index 6aaeccd58..7b113ed22 100644
--- a/test/ninja/multi_env.py
+++ b/test/ninja/multi_env.py
@@ -37,7 +37,7 @@
 _python_ = TestSCons._python_
 _exe = TestSCons._exe
 
-ninja_bin = test.ninja_binary()
+ninja_bin = TestSCons.NINJA_BINARY
 
 test = TestSCons.TestSCons()
 
diff --git a/test/ninja/ninja_command_line.py b/test/ninja/ninja_command_line.py
index d6744aa71..8fc232e42 100644
--- a/test/ninja/ninja_command_line.py
+++ b/test/ninja/ninja_command_line.py
@@ -37,7 +37,7 @@
 _python_ = TestSCons._python_
 _exe = TestSCons._exe
 
-ninja_bin = test.ninja_binary()
+ninja_bin = TestSCons.NINJA_BINARY
 
 test.dir_fixture('ninja-fixture', 'src')
 
diff --git a/test/ninja/ninja_conftest.py b/test/ninja/ninja_conftest.py
index a92ecd993..60c4b033e 100644
--- a/test/ninja/ninja_conftest.py
+++ b/test/ninja/ninja_conftest.py
@@ -37,7 +37,7 @@
 _python_ = TestSCons._python_
 _exe = TestSCons._exe
 
-ninja_bin = test.ninja_binary()
+ninja_bin = TestSCons.NINJA_BINARY
 
 test.dir_fixture('ninja-fixture')
 
diff --git a/test/ninja/ninja_file_deterministic.py b/test/ninja/ninja_file_deterministic.py
index 232e7abba..3d226ca4e 100644
--- a/test/ninja/ninja_file_deterministic.py
+++ b/test/ninja/ninja_file_deterministic.py
@@ -39,7 +39,7 @@
 _python_ = TestSCons._python_
 _exe = TestSCons._exe
 
-ninja_bin = test.ninja_binary()
+ninja_bin = TestSCons.NINJA_BINARY
 
 test.dir_fixture('ninja-fixture')
 
diff --git a/test/ninja/ninja_handle_control_c_rebuild.py b/test/ninja/ninja_handle_control_c_rebuild.py
index 563536739..d187c5f43 100644
--- a/test/ninja/ninja_handle_control_c_rebuild.py
+++ b/test/ninja/ninja_handle_control_c_rebuild.py
@@ -40,8 +40,7 @@
 
 _python_ = TestSCons._python_
 _exe = TestSCons._exe
-
-ninja_bin = test.ninja_binary()
+ninja_bin = TestSCons.NINJA_BINARY
 
 test.dir_fixture("ninja-fixture")
 
diff --git a/test/ninja/no_for_sig_subst.py b/test/ninja/no_for_sig_subst.py
index da33f8d1c..ef2c79599 100644
--- a/test/ninja/no_for_sig_subst.py
+++ b/test/ninja/no_for_sig_subst.py
@@ -37,7 +37,7 @@
 _python_ = TestSCons._python_
 _exe = TestSCons._exe
 
-ninja_bin = test.ninja_binary()
+ninja_bin = TestSCons.NINJA_BINARY
 
 test.dir_fixture('ninja-fixture')
 
diff --git a/test/ninja/response_file.py b/test/ninja/response_file.py
index e9f778ae8..f2561bbfa 100644
--- a/test/ninja/response_file.py
+++ b/test/ninja/response_file.py
@@ -42,7 +42,7 @@
 _exe = TestSCons._exe
 _obj = TestSCons._obj
 
-ninja_bin = test.ninja_binary()
+ninja_bin = TestSCons.NINJA_BINARY
 
 test.dir_fixture('ninja-fixture')
 
diff --git a/test/ninja/shell_command.py b/test/ninja/shell_command.py
index 0ed8f2a0d..8b3d13429 100644
--- a/test/ninja/shell_command.py
+++ b/test/ninja/shell_command.py
@@ -37,7 +37,7 @@
 _python_ = TestSCons._python_
 _exe = TestSCons._exe
 
-ninja_bin = test.ninja_binary()
+ninja_bin = TestSCons.NINJA_BINARY
 
 test.dir_fixture('ninja-fixture')
 
diff --git a/test/ninja/shutdown_scons_daemon.py b/test/ninja/shutdown_scons_daemon.py
index 25823d742..c646f970f 100644
--- a/test/ninja/shutdown_scons_daemon.py
+++ b/test/ninja/shutdown_scons_daemon.py
@@ -44,7 +44,7 @@
 _python_ = TestSCons._python_
 _exe = TestSCons._exe
 
-ninja_bin = test.ninja_binary()
+ninja_bin = TestSCons.NINJA_BINARY
 
 test.dir_fixture("ninja-fixture")
 
diff --git a/testing/framework/TestCmd.py b/testing/framework/TestCmd.py
index 7307078c5..56c282c99 100644
--- a/testing/framework/TestCmd.py
+++ b/testing/framework/TestCmd.py
@@ -337,6 +337,9 @@
     IS_ROOT = False
 NEED_HELPER = os.environ.get('SCONS_NO_DIRECT_SCRIPT')
 
+
+
+
 # sentinel for cases where None won't do
 _Null = object()
 
diff --git a/testing/framework/TestSCons.py b/testing/framework/TestSCons.py
index d6c51251e..5c95c2423 100644
--- a/testing/framework/TestSCons.py
+++ b/testing/framework/TestSCons.py
@@ -74,7 +74,8 @@
     'lib_',
     '_lib',
     'dll_',
-    '_dll'
+    '_dll',
+    'NINJA_BINARY'
 ])
 
 machine_map = {
@@ -103,6 +104,12 @@
 _dll = dll_suffix
 dll_ = dll_prefix
 
+try:
+    import ninja
+    NINJA_BINARY = os.path.abspath(os.path.join(ninja.BIN_DIR, 'ninja' + _exe))
+except ImportError:
+    NINJA_BINARY = None
+
 if sys.platform == 'cygwin':
     # On Cygwin, os.path.normcase() lies, so just report back the
     # fact that the underlying Win32 OS is case-insensitive.
@@ -1087,15 +1094,6 @@ def java_get_class_files(self, dir):
                     result.append(os.path.join(dirpath, fname))
         return sorted(result)
 
-    def ninja_binary(self):
-        try:
-            import ninja
-        except ImportError:
-            return False
-
-        return os.path.abspath(os.path.join(ninja.BIN_DIR, 'ninja' + _exe))
-
-
     def Qt_dummy_installation(self, dir: str = 'qt') -> None:
         # create a dummy qt installation