diff --git a/payu/schedulers/pbs.py b/payu/schedulers/pbs.py
index 6a881a9d..931fc891 100644
--- a/payu/schedulers/pbs.py
+++ b/payu/schedulers/pbs.py
@@ -108,13 +108,11 @@ def submit(self, pbs_script, pbs_config, pbs_vars=None, python_exe=None):
         short_path = pbs_config.get('shortpath', None)
         if short_path is not None:
             extra_search_paths.append(short_path)
-        
+
         module_use_paths = pbs_config.get('modules', {}).get('use', [])
         extra_search_paths.extend(module_use_paths)
 
-        remote_sync_directory = pbs_vars.get('PAYU_SYNC_PATH', None)
-        if remote_sync_directory is None:
-            remote_sync_directory = pbs_config.get('sync', {}).get('directory', None)
+        remote_sync_directory = pbs_config.get('sync', {}).get('path', None)
         if remote_sync_directory is not None:
             extra_search_paths.append(remote_sync_directory)
         storages.update(find_mounts(extra_search_paths, mounts))
diff --git a/test/test_sync.py b/test/test_sync.py
index 320c7f08..8c78f0f0 100644
--- a/test/test_sync.py
+++ b/test/test_sync.py
@@ -193,11 +193,11 @@ def test_sync():
         # Function to test
         expt.sync()
 
-    expected_dirs_synced = ['output000', 'output001', 'output002',
-                            'output003', 'output004', 'pbs_logs']
+    expected_dirs_synced = {'output000', 'output001', 'output002',
+                            'output003', 'output004', 'pbs_logs'}
 
     # Test output is moved to remote dir
-    assert os.listdir(remote_archive) == expected_dirs_synced
+    assert set(os.listdir(remote_archive)) == expected_dirs_synced
 
     # Test inner log files are copied
     remote_log_path = os.path.join(remote_archive, 'pbs_logs', log_filename)