diff --git a/tests/core/core-configuration-layer-ftest.el b/tests/core/core-configuration-layer-ftest.el
index 0ddcaa98b..752a99167 100644
--- a/tests/core/core-configuration-layer-ftest.el
+++ b/tests/core/core-configuration-layer-ftest.el
@@ -25,7 +25,17 @@
     (should (eq 'spacemacs-bootstrap
                 (first configuration-layer--used-layers)))))
 
-(ert-deftest test-declare-layers--distribution-layer-is-second ()
+(ert-deftest test-declare-layers--defaults-layer-is-second-for-base-distribution ()
+  (let ((dotspacemacs-distribution 'spacemacs-base)
+         (dotspacemacs-configuration-layers '(emacs-lisp
+                                               (git :variables foo 'bar)))
+         configuration-layer--used-layers
+         (configuration-layer--indexed-layers (make-hash-table :size 1024)))
+    (configuration-layer/discover-layers 'refresh-index)
+    (configuration-layer//declare-used-layers dotspacemacs-configuration-layers)
+    (should (eq 'spacemacs-defaults (second configuration-layer--used-layers)))))
+
+(ert-deftest test-declare-layers--base-layer-is-third-for-base-distribution ()
   (let ((dotspacemacs-distribution 'spacemacs-base)
         (dotspacemacs-configuration-layers '(emacs-lisp
                                              (git :variables foo 'bar)))
@@ -33,7 +43,7 @@
         (configuration-layer--indexed-layers (make-hash-table :size 1024)))
     (configuration-layer/discover-layers 'refresh-index)
     (configuration-layer//declare-used-layers dotspacemacs-configuration-layers)
-    (should (eq 'spacemacs-base (second configuration-layer--used-layers)))))
+    (should (eq 'spacemacs-base (third configuration-layer--used-layers)))))
 
 ;; ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
 ;; Lazy installation of layers