diff --git a/tests/Makefile.am b/tests/Makefile.am
index 676a9c387b..38bfa139d7 100644
--- a/tests/Makefile.am
+++ b/tests/Makefile.am
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-TESTS_ENVIRONMENT = $(bash) -e
+TESTS_ENVIRONMENT = NIX_REMOTE= $(bash) -e
 
 extra1 = $(shell pwd)/test-tmp/shared
 
diff --git a/tests/common.sh.in b/tests/common.sh.in
index 62ac669df6..4ab490a626 100644
--- a/tests/common.sh.in
+++ b/tests/common.sh.in
@@ -23,8 +23,6 @@ export SHARED=$TEST_ROOT/shared
 
 export PATH=$NIX_BIN_DIR:$TOP/scripts:$PATH
 
-export NIX_REMOTE=
-
 export REAL_BIN_DIR=@bindir@
 export REAL_LIBEXEC_DIR=@libexecdir@
 export REAL_LOCALSTATE_DIR=@localstatedir@