diff --git a/External/SPEC/CFP2017rate/508.namd_r/CMakeLists.txt b/External/SPEC/CFP2017rate/508.namd_r/CMakeLists.txt
--- a/External/SPEC/CFP2017rate/508.namd_r/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/External/SPEC/CFP2017rate/508.namd_r/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -11,7 +11,7 @@
 ## test ########################################################################
 
 speccpu2017_run_test(
-  --input "${INPUT_all_DIR}/apoa1.input"
+  --input "${RUN_test_DIR}/apoa1.input"
   --iterations 1 --output apoa1.test.output
   RUN_TYPE test
 )
@@ -19,7 +19,7 @@
 ## train #######################################################################
 
 speccpu2017_run_test(
-  --input "${INPUT_all_DIR}/apoa1.input"
+  --input "${RUN_train_DIR}/apoa1.input"
   --iterations 7 --output apoa1.train.output
   RUN_TYPE train
 )
@@ -27,7 +27,7 @@
 ## ref #########################################################################
 
 speccpu2017_run_test(
-  --input "${INPUT_all_DIR}/apoa1.input"
+  --input "${RUN_ref_DIR}/apoa1.input"
   --output apoa1.ref.output --iterations 65
   RUN_TYPE ref
 )
@@ -36,3 +36,4 @@
 
 speccpu2017_verify_output(ABSOLUTE_TOLERANCE 0.00005)
 speccpu2017_add_executable()
+speccpu2017_prepare_rundir()
diff --git a/External/SPEC/CFP2017rate/519.lbm_r/CMakeLists.txt b/External/SPEC/CFP2017rate/519.lbm_r/CMakeLists.txt
--- a/External/SPEC/CFP2017rate/519.lbm_r/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/External/SPEC/CFP2017rate/519.lbm_r/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -13,7 +13,6 @@
 speccpu2017_run_test(
   20 reference.dat 0 1 100_100_130_cf_a.of
   STDOUT lbm.out
-  WORKDIR input
   RUN_TYPE test
   SUITE_TYPE rate
 )
@@ -23,7 +22,6 @@
 speccpu2017_run_test(
   300 reference.dat 0 1 100_100_130_cf_b.of
   STDOUT lbm.out
-  WORKDIR input
   RUN_TYPE train
   SUITE_TYPE rate
 )
@@ -33,7 +31,6 @@
 speccpu2017_run_test(
   3000 reference.dat 0 0 100_100_130_ldc.of
   STDOUT lbm.out
-  WORKDIR input
   RUN_TYPE ref
   SUITE_TYPE rate
 )
@@ -44,3 +41,4 @@
 # while the program output also uses spaces for indention.
 speccpu2017_verify_output(ABSOLUTE_TOLERANCE 0.0000001 IGNORE_WHITESPACE)
 speccpu2017_add_executable()
+speccpu2017_prepare_rundir()
diff --git a/External/SPEC/CFP2017rate/544.nab_r/CMakeLists.txt b/External/SPEC/CFP2017rate/544.nab_r/CMakeLists.txt
--- a/External/SPEC/CFP2017rate/544.nab_r/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/External/SPEC/CFP2017rate/544.nab_r/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -14,7 +14,6 @@
 
 speccpu2017_run_test(
   hkrdenq 1930344093 1000
-  WORKDIR input
   STDOUT hkrdenq.out
   RUN_TYPE test
 )
@@ -23,14 +22,12 @@
 
 speccpu2017_run_test(
   aminos 391519156 1000
-  WORKDIR input
   STDOUT aminos.out
   RUN_TYPE train
 )
 
 speccpu2017_run_test(
   gcn4dna 1850041461 300
-  WORKDIR input
   STDOUT gcn4dna.out
   RUN_TYPE train
 )
@@ -39,7 +36,6 @@
 
 speccpu2017_run_test(
   1am0 1122214447 122
-  WORKDIR input
   STDOUT 1am0.out
   RUN_TYPE ref
   SUITE_TYPE rate
@@ -70,3 +66,4 @@
   regex-alpha/regexec.c
   regex-alpha/regfree.c
 )
+speccpu2017_prepare_rundir()
diff --git a/External/SPEC/CINT2017rate/523.xalancbmk_r/CMakeLists.txt b/External/SPEC/CINT2017rate/523.xalancbmk_r/CMakeLists.txt
--- a/External/SPEC/CINT2017rate/523.xalancbmk_r/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/External/SPEC/CINT2017rate/523.xalancbmk_r/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -34,7 +34,6 @@
 speccpu2017_run_test(
   -v test.xml xalanc.xsl
   STDOUT test-test.out
-  WORKDIR input
   RUN_TYPE test
 )
 
@@ -43,7 +42,6 @@
 speccpu2017_run_test(
   -v allbooks.xml xalanc.xsl
   STDOUT train-allbooks.out
-  WORKDIR input
   RUN_TYPE train
 )
 
@@ -52,7 +50,6 @@
 speccpu2017_run_test(
   -v t5.xml xalanc.xsl
   STDOUT ref-t5.out
-  WORKDIR input
   RUN_TYPE ref
 )
 
@@ -818,4 +815,4 @@
   YearDatatypeValidator.cpp
   YearMonthDatatypeValidator.cpp
 )
-
+speccpu2017_prepare_rundir()
diff --git a/External/SPEC/CINT2017rate/525.x264_r/CMakeLists.txt b/External/SPEC/CINT2017rate/525.x264_r/CMakeLists.txt
--- a/External/SPEC/CINT2017rate/525.x264_r/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/External/SPEC/CINT2017rate/525.x264_r/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -174,6 +174,7 @@
   ldecod_src/biaridecod.c
   ldecod_src/input.c
 )
+speccpu2017_prepare_rundir()
 set(ldecod_Sources)
 foreach (_file IN LISTS ldecod_SourceNames)
   list(APPEND ldecod_Sources "${SRC_DIR}/${_file}")
diff --git a/External/SPEC/CINT2017rate/557.xz_r/CMakeLists.txt b/External/SPEC/CINT2017rate/557.xz_r/CMakeLists.txt
--- a/External/SPEC/CINT2017rate/557.xz_r/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/External/SPEC/CINT2017rate/557.xz_r/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -27,84 +27,72 @@
 speccpu2017_run_test(
   cpu2006docs.tar.xz 4 055ce243071129412e9dd0b3b69a21654033a9b723d874b2015c774fac1553d9713be561ca86f74e4f16f22e664fc17a79f30caa5ad2c04fbc447549c2810fae 1548636 1555348 0
   STDOUT cpu2006docs.tar-4-0.out
-  WORKDIR "${INPUT_all_DIR}"
   RUN_TYPE test
 )
 
 speccpu2017_run_test(
   cpu2006docs.tar.xz 4 055ce243071129412e9dd0b3b69a21654033a9b723d874b2015c774fac1553d9713be561ca86f74e4f16f22e664fc17a79f30caa5ad2c04fbc447549c2810fae 1462248 -1 1
   STDOUT cpu2006docs.tar-4-1.out
-  WORKDIR "${INPUT_all_DIR}"
   RUN_TYPE test
 )
 
 speccpu2017_run_test(
   cpu2006docs.tar.xz 4 055ce243071129412e9dd0b3b69a21654033a9b723d874b2015c774fac1553d9713be561ca86f74e4f16f22e664fc17a79f30caa5ad2c04fbc447549c2810fae 1428548 -1 2
   STDOUT cpu2006docs.tar-4-2.out
-  WORKDIR "${INPUT_all_DIR}"
   RUN_TYPE test
 )
 
 speccpu2017_run_test(
    cpu2006docs.tar.xz 4 055ce243071129412e9dd0b3b69a21654033a9b723d874b2015c774fac1553d9713be561ca86f74e4f16f22e664fc17a79f30caa5ad2c04fbc447549c2810fae 1034828 -1 3e
    STDOUT cpu2006docs.tar-4-3e.out
-   WORKDIR "${INPUT_all_DIR}"
    RUN_TYPE test
 )
 
 speccpu2017_run_test(
   cpu2006docs.tar.xz 4 055ce243071129412e9dd0b3b69a21654033a9b723d874b2015c774fac1553d9713be561ca86f74e4f16f22e664fc17a79f30caa5ad2c04fbc447549c2810fae 1061968 -1 4
   STDOUT cpu2006docs.tar-4-4.out
-  WORKDIR "${INPUT_all_DIR}"
   RUN_TYPE test
 )
 
 speccpu2017_run_test(
   cpu2006docs.tar.xz 4 055ce243071129412e9dd0b3b69a21654033a9b723d874b2015c774fac1553d9713be561ca86f74e4f16f22e664fc17a79f30caa5ad2c04fbc447549c2810fae 1034588 -1 4e
   STDOUT cpu2006docs.tar-4-4e.out
-  WORKDIR "${INPUT_all_DIR}"
   RUN_TYPE test
 )
 
 speccpu2017_run_test(
   cpu2006docs.tar.xz 1 055ce243071129412e9dd0b3b69a21654033a9b723d874b2015c774fac1553d9713be561ca86f74e4f16f22e664fc17a79f30caa5ad2c04fbc447549c2810fae 650156 -1 0
   STDOUT cpu2006docs.tar-1-0.out
-  WORKDIR "${INPUT_all_DIR}"
   RUN_TYPE test
 )
 
 speccpu2017_run_test(
   cpu2006docs.tar.xz 1 055ce243071129412e9dd0b3b69a21654033a9b723d874b2015c774fac1553d9713be561ca86f74e4f16f22e664fc17a79f30caa5ad2c04fbc447549c2810fae 639996 -1 1
   STDOUT cpu2006docs.tar-1-1.out
-  WORKDIR "${INPUT_all_DIR}"
   RUN_TYPE test
 )
 
 speccpu2017_run_test(
   cpu2006docs.tar.xz 1 055ce243071129412e9dd0b3b69a21654033a9b723d874b2015c774fac1553d9713be561ca86f74e4f16f22e664fc17a79f30caa5ad2c04fbc447549c2810fae 637616 -1 2
   STDOUT cpu2006docs.tar-1-2.out
-  WORKDIR "${INPUT_all_DIR}"
   RUN_TYPE test
 )
 
 speccpu2017_run_test(
   cpu2006docs.tar.xz 1 055ce243071129412e9dd0b3b69a21654033a9b723d874b2015c774fac1553d9713be561ca86f74e4f16f22e664fc17a79f30caa5ad2c04fbc447549c2810fae 628996 -1 3e
   STDOUT cpu2006docs.tar-1-3e.out
-  WORKDIR "${INPUT_all_DIR}"
   RUN_TYPE test
 )
 
 speccpu2017_run_test(
   cpu2006docs.tar.xz 1 055ce243071129412e9dd0b3b69a21654033a9b723d874b2015c774fac1553d9713be561ca86f74e4f16f22e664fc17a79f30caa5ad2c04fbc447549c2810fae 631912 -1 4
   STDOUT cpu2006docs.tar-1-4.out
-  WORKDIR "${INPUT_all_DIR}"
   RUN_TYPE test
 )
 
 speccpu2017_run_test(
   cpu2006docs.tar.xz 1 055ce243071129412e9dd0b3b69a21654033a9b723d874b2015c774fac1553d9713be561ca86f74e4f16f22e664fc17a79f30caa5ad2c04fbc447549c2810fae 629064 -1 4e
   STDOUT cpu2006docs.tar-1-4e.out
-  WORKDIR "${INPUT_all_DIR}"
   RUN_TYPE test
 )
 
@@ -113,14 +101,12 @@
 speccpu2017_run_test(
   input.combined.xz 40 a841f68f38572a49d86226b7ff5baeb31bd19dc637a922a972b2e6d1257a890f6a544ecab967c313e370478c74f760eb229d4eef8a8d2836d233d3e9dd1430bf 6356684 -1 8
   STDOUT input.combined-40-8.out
-  WORKDIR "${INPUT_all_DIR}"
   RUN_TYPE train
 )
 
 speccpu2017_run_test(
   IMG_2560.cr2.xz 40 ec03e53b02deae89b6650f1de4bed76a012366fb3d4bdc791e8633d1a5964e03004523752ab008eff0d9e693689c53056533a05fc4b277f0086544c6c3cbbbf6 40822692 40824404 4
   STDOUT IMG_2560.cr2-40-4.out
-  WORKDIR input
   RUN_TYPE train
 )
 
@@ -129,7 +115,6 @@
 speccpu2017_run_test(
   cld.tar.xz 160 19cf30ae51eddcbefda78dd06014b4b96281456e078ca7c13e1c0c9e6aaea8dff3efb4ad6b0456697718cede6bd5454852652806a657bb56e07d61128434b474 59796407 61004416 6
   STDOUT cld.tar-160-6.out
-  WORKDIR "${INPUT_all_DIR}"
   RUN_TYPE ref
   SUITE_TYPE rate
 )
@@ -137,7 +122,6 @@
 speccpu2017_run_test(
   cpu2006docs.tar.xz 250 055ce243071129412e9dd0b3b69a21654033a9b723d874b2015c774fac1553d9713be561ca86f74e4f16f22e664fc17a79f30caa5ad2c04fbc447549c2810fae 23047774 23513385 6e
   STDOUT cpu2006docs.tar-250-6e.out
-  WORKDIR "${INPUT_all_DIR}"
   RUN_TYPE ref
   SUITE_TYPE rate
 )
@@ -145,7 +129,6 @@
 speccpu2017_run_test(
   input.combined.xz 250 a841f68f38572a49d86226b7ff5baeb31bd19dc637a922a972b2e6d1257a890f6a544ecab967c313e370478c74f760eb229d4eef8a8d2836d233d3e9dd1430bf 40401484 41217675 7
   STDOUT input.combined-250-7.out
-  WORKDIR "${INPUT_all_DIR}"
   RUN_TYPE ref
   SUITE_TYPE rate
 )
@@ -245,3 +228,4 @@
     spec_mem_io/spec_mem_io.c
     sha-2/sha512.c
 )
+speccpu2017_prepare_rundir()
diff --git a/External/SPEC/CINT2017rate/999.specrand_ir/CMakeLists.txt b/External/SPEC/CINT2017rate/999.specrand_ir/CMakeLists.txt
--- a/External/SPEC/CINT2017rate/999.specrand_ir/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/External/SPEC/CINT2017rate/999.specrand_ir/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -36,3 +36,4 @@
 
 speccpu2017_verify_output()
 speccpu2017_add_executable()
+speccpu2017_prepare_rundir()
diff --git a/External/SPEC/SpecCPU2017.cmake b/External/SPEC/SpecCPU2017.cmake
--- a/External/SPEC/SpecCPU2017.cmake
+++ b/External/SPEC/SpecCPU2017.cmake
@@ -207,12 +207,6 @@
 # SUITE_TYPE (rate or speed)
 #            Only run in the _r or _s benchmark suites.
 #
-# WORKDIR    Working dir for the executable to run in.
-#            "input" means the dataset source directory. Does not require
-#                    copying the input data to the rundir, but the benchmark
-#                    must not write data there.
-#            If not defined, the run_{run_type} directory is chosen.
-#
 # STDOUT     Write the benchmark's stdout into this file in the rundir.
 #
 # STDERR     Write the benchmark's stderr into this file in the rundir.
@@ -220,7 +214,7 @@
 # ARGN       Benchmark's command line arguments
 macro (speccpu2017_run_test)
   cmake_parse_arguments(_arg
-    "" "RUN_TYPE;SUITE_TYPE;WORKDIR;STDOUT;STDERR" "" ${ARGN})
+    "" "RUN_TYPE;SUITE_TYPE;STDOUT;STDERR" "" ${ARGN})
 
   if ((NOT DEFINED _arg_SUITE_TYPE) OR
       (BENCHMARK_SUITE_TYPE IN_LIST _arg_SUITE_TYPE))
@@ -237,20 +231,12 @@
         set(_stderr 2> "${RUN_${_arg_RUN_TYPE}_DIR}/${_arg_STDERR}")
       endif ()
 
-      set(_executable)
-      if (NOT DEFINED _arg_WORKDIR)
-        set(_workdir "${RUN_${_arg_RUN_TYPE}_DIR}")
-
-        # perlbench, xalancbmk need to be invoked with relative paths
-        # (SPEC made modifications that prepend another path to find the rundir)
-        file(RELATIVE_PATH _executable
+      set(_workdir "${RUN_${_arg_RUN_TYPE}_DIR}")
+      # perlbench, xalancbmk need to be invoked with relative paths
+      # (SPEC made modifications that prepend another path to find the rundir)
+     file(RELATIVE_PATH _executable
           "${_workdir}" "${CMAKE_CURRENT_BINARY_DIR}/${PROG}")
-        set (_executable EXECUTABLE "${_executable}")
-      elseif (_arg_WORKDIR STREQUAL "input")
-        set(_workdir "${INPUT_${_arg_RUN_TYPE}_DIR}")
-      else ()
-        set(_workdir "${_arg_WORKDIR}")
-      endif ()
+      set (_executable EXECUTABLE "${_executable}")
 
       llvm_test_run(
         ${_arg_UNPARSED_ARGUMENTS} ${_stdout} ${_stderr}
@@ -283,7 +269,7 @@
     llvm_test_verify(
       cd "${RUN_${_carg_RUN_TYPE}_DIR}" &&
       "${CMAKE_CURRENT_BINARY_DIR}/${VALIDATOR}" ${_carg_UNPARSED_ARGUMENTS}
-        "${_imgfile}" "${DATA_${_carg_RUN_TYPE}_DIR}/compare/${_cmpfile}"
+        "${_imgfile}" "${RUN_${_carg_RUN_TYPE}_DIR}/compare/${_cmpfile}"
         > ${RUN_${_carg_RUN_TYPE}_DIR}/${_outfile}
       RUN_TYPE ${_carg_RUN_TYPE}
     )
@@ -314,11 +300,12 @@
   foreach (_runtype IN LISTS TEST_SUITE_RUN_TYPE ITEMS all)
     file(GLOB_RECURSE _reffiles "${OUTPUT_${_runtype}_DIR}/*")
     foreach (_reffile IN LISTS _reffiles)
-      file(RELATIVE_PATH _relfile "${OUTPUT_${_runtype}_DIR}" "${_reffile}")
-      set(_outfile "${RUN_${_runtype}_DIR}/${_relfile}")
+      file(RELATIVE_PATH _filename "${OUTPUT_${_runtype}_DIR}" "${_reffile}")
+      set(_outfile "${RUN_${_runtype}_DIR}/${_filename}")
+      set(_comparefile "${RUN_${_runtype}_DIR}/compare/${_filename}")
       llvm_test_verify(RUN_TYPE ${_runtype}
         "${FPCMP}" ${_abstol} ${_reltol} ${_ignorewhitespace}
-          "${_reffile}" "${_outfile}"
+          "${_comparefile}" "${_outfile}"
       )
     endforeach ()
   endforeach ()
@@ -352,7 +339,7 @@
 endmacro()
 
 
-# Copy the input data to the rundir.
+# Copy the input and comparison data to the rundir.
 #
 # Can often be avoided by either passing an absolute path to the file in the
 # input dir, or using the input dir as working directory and specify the output
@@ -363,6 +350,12 @@
       llvm_copy_dir(${PROG} "${RUN_${_runtype}_DIR}" "${INPUT_all_DIR}")
     endif ()
     llvm_copy_dir(${PROG} "${RUN_${_runtype}_DIR}" "${INPUT_${_runtype}_DIR}")
+
+    file(MAKE_DIRECTORY "${RUN_${_runtype}_DIR}/compare")
+    llvm_copy_dir(${PROG} "${RUN_${_runtype}_DIR}/compare" "${OUTPUT_${_runtype}_DIR}")
+    if (EXISTS "${OUTPUT_${_runtype}_DIR}/../compare")
+        llvm_copy_dir(${PROG} "${RUN_${_runtype}_DIR}/compare" "${OUTPUT_${_runtype}_DIR}/../compare")
+    endif ()
   endforeach ()
 endmacro()