diff --git a/tests/common.sh.in b/tests/common.sh.in
index 2bbc39c28a..0c4df71192 100644
--- a/tests/common.sh.in
+++ b/tests/common.sh.in
@@ -23,7 +23,6 @@ export PATH=@bindir@:$PATH
 export NIX_BUILD_HOOK=
 export dot=@dot@
 export xmllint="@xmllint@"
-export xmlflags="@xmlflags@"
 export xsltproc="@xsltproc@"
 export SHELL="@bash@"
 
diff --git a/tests/logging.sh b/tests/logging.sh
index 117d483716..764999327c 100644
--- a/tests/logging.sh
+++ b/tests/logging.sh
@@ -11,7 +11,7 @@ nix-log2xml < $TEST_ROOT/log.esc > $TEST_ROOT/log.xml
 
 # Is this well-formed XML?
 if test "$xmllint" != "false"; then
-    $xmllint $xmlflags --noout $TEST_ROOT/log.xml || fail "malformed XML"
+    $xmllint --noout $TEST_ROOT/log.xml || fail "malformed XML"
 fi
 
 # Convert to HTML.