diff --git a/tests/common.sh b/tests/common.sh
index a99ff6a9c0..0c8fc29f1b 100755
--- a/tests/common.sh
+++ b/tests/common.sh
@@ -80,8 +80,7 @@ function build_sketches()
         if [ -e $cache_dir/core/*.a ]; then
             # We need to preserve the build.options.json file and replace the last .ino
             # with this sketch's ino file, or builder will throw everything away.
-            jq '."sketchLocation" = "'$sketch'"' $build_dir/build.options.json > $build_dir/build.options.json.tmp
-            mv $build_dir/build.options.json.tmp $build_dir/build.options.json
+       sed -i "s,^.*sketchLocation.*$, \"sketchLocation\": \"$sketch\"\,,g" $build_dir/build.options.json
             # Set the time of the cached core.a file to the future so the GIT header
             # we regen won't cause the builder to throw it out and rebuild from scratch.
             touch -d 'now + 1 day' $cache_dir/core/*.a