diff --git a/test/pwtest.c b/test/pwtest.c
index f005d63d1..26aa6ec78 100644
--- a/test/pwtest.c
+++ b/test/pwtest.c
@@ -698,6 +698,7 @@ static void set_test_env(struct pwtest_context *ctx, struct pwtest_test *t)
 	replace_env(t, "PIPEWIRE_MODULE_DIR", BUILD_ROOT "/src/modules");
 	replace_env(t, "ACP_PATHS_DIR", SOURCE_ROOT "/spa/plugins/alsa/mixer/paths");
 	replace_env(t, "ACP_PROFILES_DIR", SOURCE_ROOT "/spa/plugins/alsa/mixer/profile-sets");
+	replace_env(t, "PIPEWIRE_USE_SYSTEMD", "false");
 }
 
 static void close_pipes(int fds[_FD_LAST])