diff --git a/osaca/__init__.py b/osaca/__init__.py
index 054c870..0d384ed 100644
--- a/osaca/__init__.py
+++ b/osaca/__init__.py
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 """Open Source Architecture Code Analyzer"""
 name = 'osaca'
-__version__ = '0.3.0'
+__version__ = '0.3.0dev'
 
 # To trigger travis deployment to pypi, do the following:
 # 1. Increment __version___
diff --git a/osaca/semantics/semanticsAppender.py b/osaca/semantics/semanticsAppender.py
index 8df85a3..d573218 100755
--- a/osaca/semantics/semanticsAppender.py
+++ b/osaca/semantics/semanticsAppender.py
@@ -7,10 +7,14 @@ from .hw_model import MachineModel
 
 
 class SemanticsAppender(object):
-    def __init__(self, machine_model: MachineModel):
+    def __init__(self, machine_model: MachineModel, path_to_yaml=None):
         self.machine_model = machine_model
         self._isa = machine_model.get_ISA()
-        self._isa_model = MachineModel(path_to_yaml=self._find_file(self._isa))
+        if path_to_yaml:
+            path = path_to_yaml
+        else:
+            path = self._find_file(self._isa)
+        self._isa_model = MachineModel(path_to_yaml=path)
 
     def _find_file(self, isa):
         data_dir = os.path.expanduser('~/.osaca/data/isa')
diff --git a/tests/test_semantics.py b/tests/test_semantics.py
index 3920afe..121f030 100755
--- a/tests/test_semantics.py
+++ b/tests/test_semantics.py
@@ -7,13 +7,18 @@ import os
 import unittest
 
 from osaca.parser import AttrDict, ParserAArch64v81, ParserX86ATT
-from osaca.semantics.kernel_dg import KernelDG
 from osaca.semantics.hw_model import MachineModel
+from osaca.semantics.kernel_dg import KernelDG
 from osaca.semantics.semanticsAppender import SemanticsAppender
 
 
 class TestSemanticTools(unittest.TestCase):
+    MODULE_DATA_DIR = os.path.join(
+        os.path.dirname(os.path.split(os.path.abspath(__file__))[0]), 'osaca/data/'
+    )
+
     def setUp(self):
+        # set up parser and kernels
         self.parser_x86 = ParserX86ATT()
         self.parser_AArch64 = ParserAArch64v81()
         with open(self._find_file('kernel-x86.s')) as f:
@@ -23,10 +28,20 @@ class TestSemanticTools(unittest.TestCase):
         self.kernel_x86 = self.parser_x86.parse_file(code_x86)
         self.kernel_AArch64 = self.parser_AArch64.parse_file(code_AArch64)
 
-        self.machine_model_csl = MachineModel('csl')
-        self.machine_model_tx2 = MachineModel('vulcan')
-        self.semantics_csl = SemanticsAppender(self.machine_model_csl)
-        self.semantics_tx2 = SemanticsAppender(self.machine_model_tx2)
+        # set up machine models
+        self.machine_model_csl = MachineModel(
+            path_to_yaml=os.path.join(self.MODULE_DATA_DIR, 'csl.yml')
+        )
+        self.machine_model_tx2 = MachineModel(
+            path_to_yaml=os.path.join(self.MODULE_DATA_DIR, 'vulcan.yml')
+        )
+        self.semantics_csl = SemanticsAppender(
+            self.machine_model_csl, path_to_yaml=os.path.join(self.MODULE_DATA_DIR, 'isa/x86.yml')
+        )
+        self.semantics_tx2 = SemanticsAppender(
+            self.machine_model_tx2,
+            path_to_yaml=os.path.join(self.MODULE_DATA_DIR, 'isa/AArch64.yml'),
+        )
         for i in range(len(self.kernel_x86)):
             self.semantics_csl.assign_src_dst(self.kernel_x86[i])
         for i in range(len(self.kernel_AArch64)):