diff --git a/Makefile b/Makefile
index 411e1f78fa..16180e8e74 100644
--- a/Makefile
+++ b/Makefile
@@ -42,7 +42,7 @@ generate-protocols:
 
 # Some static checks rely on generated source files of components.
 static-checks: static-checks-build
-	bash tests/static-checks.sh github.com/kata-containers/kata-containers
+	bash tests/static-checks.sh
 
 docs-url-alive-check:
 	bash ci/docs-url-alive-check.sh
diff --git a/tests/static-checks.sh b/tests/static-checks.sh
index 88e1d61e95..f4bb4077fa 100755
--- a/tests/static-checks.sh
+++ b/tests/static-checks.sh
@@ -20,8 +20,6 @@ source "${cidir}/common.bash"
 # set GO111MODULE to "auto" to enable module-aware mode only when
 # a go.mod file is present in the current directory.
 export GO111MODULE="auto"
-export test_path="${test_path:-github.com/kata-containers/kata-containers/tests}"
-export test_dir="${GOPATH}/src/${test_path}"
 
 # List of files to delete on exit
 files_to_remove=()
@@ -125,7 +123,7 @@ usage()
 	cat <<EOF
 
 Usage: $script_name help
-       $script_name [options] repo-name [true]
+       $script_name [options] [repo-name] [true]
 
 Options:
 
@@ -175,7 +173,7 @@ Examples:
 
 - Auto-detect repository and run golang tests for current repository:
 
-  $ KATA_DEV_MODE=true $script_name --golang
+  $ $script_name --golang
 
 - Run all tests on the kata-containers repository, forcing the tests to
   consider all files, not just those changed by a PR branch:
@@ -1231,10 +1229,7 @@ has_hadolint_or_install()
 	local linter_dest="${GOPATH}/bin/hadolint"
 
 	local has_linter=$(command -v "$linter_cmd")
-	if [[ -z "$has_linter" && "$KATA_DEV_MODE" == "yes" ]]; then
-		# Do not install if it is in development mode.
-		die "$linter_cmd command not found. You must have the version $linter_version installed to run this check."
-	elif [ -n "$has_linter" ]; then
+	if [ -n "$has_linter" ]; then
 		# Check if the expected linter version
 		if $linter_cmd --version | grep -v "$linter_version" &>/dev/null; then
 			warn "$linter_cmd command found but not the required version $linter_version"
@@ -1560,22 +1555,17 @@ main()
 
 	if [ -z "$repo" ]
 	then
-		if [ -n "$KATA_DEV_MODE" ]
-		then
-			# No repo param provided so assume it's the current
-			# one to avoid developers having to specify one now
-			# (backwards compatability).
-			repo=$(git config --get remote.origin.url |\
-				sed 's!https://!!g' || true)
-
-			info "Auto-detected repo as $repo"
-		else
-			if [ "$list_only" != "true" ]; then
-				echo >&2 "ERROR: need repo" && usage && exit 1
-			fi
-		fi
+		# No repo param provided so assume it's the current
+		# one to avoid developers having to specify one now
+		# (backwards compatability).
+		repo=$(git config --get remote.origin.url |\
+			sed 's!https://!!g' || true)
+		info "Auto-detected repo as $repo"
 	fi
 
+	test_path="${test_path:-"${repo}/tests"}"
+	test_dir="${GOPATH}/src/${test_path}"
+
 	repo_path=$GOPATH/src/$repo
 
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