diff --git a/tools/testing/selftests/lib.mk b/tools/testing/selftests/lib.mk
index da2cade3bab0..1dae4a02957f 100644
--- a/tools/testing/selftests/lib.mk
+++ b/tools/testing/selftests/lib.mk
@@ -48,6 +48,15 @@ ifeq ($(KHDR_INCLUDES),)
 KHDR_INCLUDES := -isystem $(top_srcdir)/usr/include
 endif
 
+# In order to use newer items that haven't yet been added to the user's system
+# header files, add $(TOOLS_INCLUDES) to the compiler invocation in each
+# each selftest.
+# You may need to add files to that location, or to refresh an existing file. In
+# order to do that, run "make headers" from $(top_srcdir), then copy the
+# header file that you want from $(top_srcdir)/usr/include/... , to the matching
+# subdir in $(TOOLS_INCLUDE).
+TOOLS_INCLUDES := -isystem $(top_srcdir)/tools/include/uapi
+
 # The following are built by lib.mk common compile rules.
 # TEST_CUSTOM_PROGS should be used by tests that require
 # custom build rule and prevent common build rule use.
diff --git a/tools/testing/selftests/mm/Makefile b/tools/testing/selftests/mm/Makefile
index eb5f39a2668b..7ca9186a0639 100644
--- a/tools/testing/selftests/mm/Makefile
+++ b/tools/testing/selftests/mm/Makefile
@@ -32,7 +32,7 @@ endif
 # LDLIBS.
 MAKEFLAGS += --no-builtin-rules
 
-CFLAGS = -Wall -I $(top_srcdir) $(EXTRA_CFLAGS) $(KHDR_INCLUDES)
+CFLAGS = -Wall -I $(top_srcdir) $(EXTRA_CFLAGS) $(KHDR_INCLUDES) $(TOOLS_INCLUDES)
 LDLIBS = -lrt -lpthread -lm
 
 TEST_GEN_FILES = cow