diff --git a/tests/testsuite/cross_compile.rs b/tests/testsuite/cross_compile.rs
index 896ef26e1..855e5f742 100644
--- a/tests/testsuite/cross_compile.rs
+++ b/tests/testsuite/cross_compile.rs
@@ -1339,6 +1339,7 @@ fn host_linker_does_not_apply_to_binary_build() {
     // host.linker should not be applied but target.linker
     p.cargo("build -Z target-applies-to-host -Z host-config")
         .masquerade_as_nightly_cargo(&["target-applies-to-host", "host-config"])
+        .env("CARGO_TARGET_APPLIES_TO_HOST", "false")
         .with_status(101)
         // Need to omit some MSVC-specific diagnostics
         // because rustc prints extra stuff when linker was not found.