diff --git a/src/game/engine/scenes/tests/auto_play.gd b/src/game/engine/scenes/tests/auto_play.gd
index 3173b8ce..d28ca3ba 100644
--- a/src/game/engine/scenes/tests/auto_play.gd
+++ b/src/game/engine/scenes/tests/auto_play.gd
@@ -77,7 +77,13 @@ func _ready() -> void:
 			now["year"], now["month"], now["day"],
 			now["hour"], now["minute"], now["second"],
 		]
-		_game_dir = _output_dir.path_join("game_%s_seed%d" % [_start_stamp, _seed])
+		# If AUTO_PLAY_DIR is already a game_<stamp>_seed<N>/ path (caller named it),
+		# write directly into it. Otherwise create a subdirectory.
+		var dir_name: String = _output_dir.get_file()
+		if dir_name.begins_with("game_") and dir_name.ends_with("_seed%d" % _seed):
+			_game_dir = _output_dir
+		else:
+			_game_dir = _output_dir.path_join("game_%s_seed%d" % [_start_stamp, _seed])
 		DirAccess.make_dir_recursive_absolute(_game_dir.path_join("saves"))
 		print("AutoPlay: seed=%d stamp=%s dir=%s" % [_seed, _start_stamp, _game_dir])
 		_write_meta()