diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index 957a431..3a610a5 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -133,6 +133,8 @@ $structure = $defaultSection->getStructure();
 $this->assertTrue(is_array($structure['pages:1']['__contents']['tt_content:1']));
 ```
 
+In case of using helhum/typo3-secure-web do not forget to set TYPO3_PATH_WEB to your web-dir folder
+
 #### Structure
 
 The returned structure of a frontend request is an array with some information about your page and its children.
@@ -203,3 +205,7 @@ Following links provide documentation and additional information about TYPO3 CMS
 - [Functional tests for dummies](https://de.slideshare.net/cpsitgmbh/functional-tests-for-dummies-65673214)
 
 Last but not least you may ask for further support in the Slack channel "[#cig-testing](https://typo3.slack.com/messages/cig-testing)".
+
+## helhum/typo3-secure-web compatibility
+
+In case of using helhum/typo3-secure-web you should set TYPO3_PATH_ROOT to your private dir, and TYPO3_PATH_WEB to the public one.
diff --git a/src/TestingFramework/Bootstrap/AbstractBootstrap.php b/src/TestingFramework/Bootstrap/AbstractBootstrap.php
index c5fdb99..9d3be88 100644
--- a/src/TestingFramework/Bootstrap/AbstractBootstrap.php
+++ b/src/TestingFramework/Bootstrap/AbstractBootstrap.php
@@ -81,6 +81,7 @@ public function bootstrapFunctionalTestSystem()
         $this->enableDisplayErrors();
         $this->createNecessaryDirectoriesInDocumentRoot();
         $this->defineOriginalRootPath();
+        $this->defineOriginalWebPath();
     }
 
     /**
@@ -151,6 +152,27 @@ protected function defineOriginalRootPath()
         }
     }
 
+    /**
+     * Defines the constant ORIGINAL_WEB for the path to the web(public) TYPO3 root dir
+     * In case of using helhum/typo3-secure-web your private and public sources can have different root paths
+     *
+     * @return void
+     */
+    protected function defineOriginalWebPath()
+    {
+        if (!defined('ORIGINAL_WEB')) {
+            /** @var string */
+            define('ORIGINAL_WEB', $this->getPublicRootPath());
+        }
+
+        if (!file_exists(ORIGINAL_WEB . 'index.php')) {
+            $this->exitWithMessage(
+                'Unable to determine path to entry script.'
+                . ' Please check your path or set an environment variable \'TYPO3_PATH_WEB\' to your public root path.'
+            );
+        }
+    }
+
     /**
      * Returns the absolute path to the TYPO3 document root
      *
@@ -169,6 +191,24 @@ protected function getWebRoot()
         return rtrim(str_replace('\\', '/', $webRoot), '/') . '/';
     }
 
+    /**
+     * Returns the absolute path to the TYPO3 public root dir
+     *
+     * @return string the TYPO3 public root using Unix path separators
+     */
+    protected function getPublicRootPath()
+    {
+        if (getenv('TYPO3_PATH_WEB')) {
+            $publicRoot = getenv('TYPO3_PATH_WEB');
+        } elseif (getenv('TYPO3_PATH_ROOT')) {
+            $publicRoot = getenv('TYPO3_PATH_ROOT');
+        } else {
+            $publicRoot = getcwd();
+        }
+
+        return rtrim(str_replace('\\', '/', $publicRoot), '/') . '/';
+    }
+
     /**
      * Creates the directory $directory (recursively if required).
      *
diff --git a/src/TestingFramework/TestSystem/AbstractTestSystem.php b/src/TestingFramework/TestSystem/AbstractTestSystem.php
index d8c62ee..de7b0b8 100644
--- a/src/TestingFramework/TestSystem/AbstractTestSystem.php
+++ b/src/TestingFramework/TestSystem/AbstractTestSystem.php
@@ -307,7 +307,7 @@ protected function setUpSystemCoreLinks()
     {
         $linksToSet = [
             ORIGINAL_ROOT . 'typo3' => $this->systemPath . 'typo3',
-            ORIGINAL_ROOT . 'index.php' => $this->systemPath . 'index.php',
+            ORIGINAL_WEB . 'index.php' => $this->systemPath . 'index.php',
         ];
         foreach ($linksToSet as $from => $to) {
             if (!symlink($from, $to)) {
@@ -337,11 +337,14 @@ protected function linkTestExtensionsToSystem(array $extensionPaths)
                 );
             }
             $destinationPath = $this->systemPath . 'typo3conf/ext/' . basename($absoluteExtensionPath);
-            if (!symlink($absoluteExtensionPath, $destinationPath)) {
-                throw new Exception(
-                    'Can not link extension folder: ' . $absoluteExtensionPath . ' to ' . $destinationPath,
-                    1376657142
-                );
+
+            if (!file_exists($destinationPath)) {
+                if (!symlink($absoluteExtensionPath, $destinationPath)) {
+                    throw new Exception(
+                        'Can not link extension folder: ' . $absoluteExtensionPath . ' to ' . $destinationPath,
+                        1376657142
+                    );
+                }
             }
         }
     }