diff --git a/src/test/util_tests.cpp b/src/test/util_tests.cpp
index a1ac9ead69..76ffdc598a 100644
--- a/src/test/util_tests.cpp
+++ b/src/test/util_tests.cpp
@@ -1143,21 +1143,23 @@ BOOST_AUTO_TEST_CASE(util_ReadWriteSettings)
 {
     // Test writing setting.
     TestArgsManager args1;
+    args1.ForceSetArg("-datadir", m_path_root.string());
     args1.LockSettings([&](util::Settings& settings) { settings.rw_settings["name"] = "value"; });
     args1.WriteSettingsFile();
 
     // Test reading setting.
     TestArgsManager args2;
+    args2.ForceSetArg("-datadir", m_path_root.string());
     args2.ReadSettingsFile();
     args2.LockSettings([&](util::Settings& settings) { BOOST_CHECK_EQUAL(settings.rw_settings["name"].get_str(), "value"); });
 
     // Test error logging, and remove previously written setting.
     {
         ASSERT_DEBUG_LOG("Failed renaming settings file");
-        fs::remove(GetDataDir() / "settings.json");
-        fs::create_directory(GetDataDir() / "settings.json");
+        fs::remove(args1.GetDataDirPath() / "settings.json");
+        fs::create_directory(args1.GetDataDirPath() / "settings.json");
         args2.WriteSettingsFile();
-        fs::remove(GetDataDir() / "settings.json");
+        fs::remove(args1.GetDataDirPath() / "settings.json");
     }
 }
 
diff --git a/src/util/system.cpp b/src/util/system.cpp
index 702cfdf1e4..0a2ece7b10 100644
--- a/src/util/system.cpp
+++ b/src/util/system.cpp
@@ -388,6 +388,45 @@ std::optional<unsigned int> ArgsManager::GetArgFlags(const std::string& name) co
     return std::nullopt;
 }
 
+const fs::path& ArgsManager::GetDataDirPath(bool net_specific) const
+{
+    LOCK(cs_args);
+    fs::path& path = net_specific ? m_cached_network_datadir_path : m_cached_datadir_path;
+
+    // Cache the path to avoid calling fs::create_directories on every call of
+    // this function
+    if (!path.empty()) return path;
+
+    std::string datadir = GetArg("-datadir", "");
+    if (!datadir.empty()) {
+        path = fs::system_complete(datadir);
+        if (!fs::is_directory(path)) {
+            path = "";
+            return path;
+        }
+    } else {
+        path = GetDefaultDataDir();
+    }
+    if (net_specific)
+        path /= BaseParams().DataDir();
+
+    if (fs::create_directories(path)) {
+        // This is the first run, create wallets subdirectory too
+        fs::create_directories(path / "wallets");
+    }
+
+    path = StripRedundantLastElementsOfPath(path);
+    return path;
+}
+
+void ArgsManager::ClearDatadirPathCache()
+{
+    LOCK(cs_args);
+
+    m_cached_datadir_path = fs::path();
+    m_cached_network_datadir_path = fs::path();
+}
+
 std::optional<const ArgsManager::Command> ArgsManager::GetCommand() const
 {
     Command ret;
@@ -447,7 +486,7 @@ bool ArgsManager::GetSettingsPath(fs::path* filepath, bool temp) const
     }
     if (filepath) {
         std::string settings = GetArg("-settings", BITCOIN_SETTINGS_FILENAME);
-        *filepath = fsbridge::AbsPathJoin(GetDataDir(/* net_specific= */ true), temp ? settings + ".tmp" : settings);
+        *filepath = fsbridge::AbsPathJoin(GetDataDirPath(/* net_specific= */ true), temp ? settings + ".tmp" : settings);
     }
     return true;
 }
@@ -737,8 +776,6 @@ fs::path GetDefaultDataDir()
 }
 
 static fs::path g_blocks_path_cache_net_specific;
-static fs::path pathCached;
-static fs::path pathCachedNetSpecific;
 static RecursiveMutex csPathCached;
 
 const fs::path &GetBlocksDir()
@@ -769,33 +806,7 @@ const fs::path &GetBlocksDir()
 
 const fs::path &GetDataDir(bool fNetSpecific)
 {
-    LOCK(csPathCached);
-    fs::path &path = fNetSpecific ? pathCachedNetSpecific : pathCached;
-
-    // Cache the path to avoid calling fs::create_directories on every call of
-    // this function
-    if (!path.empty()) return path;
-
-    std::string datadir = gArgs.GetArg("-datadir", "");
-    if (!datadir.empty()) {
-        path = fs::system_complete(datadir);
-        if (!fs::is_directory(path)) {
-            path = "";
-            return path;
-        }
-    } else {
-        path = GetDefaultDataDir();
-    }
-    if (fNetSpecific)
-        path /= BaseParams().DataDir();
-
-    if (fs::create_directories(path)) {
-        // This is the first run, create wallets subdirectory too
-        fs::create_directories(path / "wallets");
-    }
-
-    path = StripRedundantLastElementsOfPath(path);
-    return path;
+    return gArgs.GetDataDirPath(fNetSpecific);
 }
 
 bool CheckDataDirOption()
@@ -806,10 +817,7 @@ bool CheckDataDirOption()
 
 void ClearDatadirCache()
 {
-    LOCK(csPathCached);
-
-    pathCached = fs::path();
-    pathCachedNetSpecific = fs::path();
+    gArgs.ClearDatadirPathCache();
     g_blocks_path_cache_net_specific = fs::path();
 }
 
diff --git a/src/util/system.h b/src/util/system.h
index 29657e56e2..a49055b891 100644
--- a/src/util/system.h
+++ b/src/util/system.h
@@ -200,6 +200,8 @@ protected:
     std::map<OptionsCategory, std::map<std::string, Arg>> m_available_args GUARDED_BY(cs_args);
     bool m_accept_any_command GUARDED_BY(cs_args){true};
     std::list<SectionInfo> m_config_sections GUARDED_BY(cs_args);
+    mutable fs::path m_cached_datadir_path GUARDED_BY(cs_args);
+    mutable fs::path m_cached_network_datadir_path GUARDED_BY(cs_args);
 
     [[nodiscard]] bool ReadConfigStream(std::istream& stream, const std::string& filepath, std::string& error, bool ignore_invalid_keys = false);
 
@@ -263,6 +265,20 @@ public:
      */
     std::optional<const Command> GetCommand() const;
 
+    /**
+     * Get data directory path
+     *
+     * @param net_specific Append network identifier to the returned path
+     * @return Absolute path on success, otherwise an empty path when a non-directory path would be returned
+     * @post Returned directory path is created unless it is empty
+     */
+    const fs::path& GetDataDirPath(bool net_specific = true) const;
+
+    /**
+     * For testing
+     */
+    void ClearDatadirPathCache();
+
     /**
      * Return a vector of strings of the given argument
      *