diff --git a/src/sugar3/test/discover.py b/src/sugar3/test/discover.py
index 8de28f8c..c9866060 100644
--- a/src/sugar3/test/discover.py
+++ b/src/sugar3/test/discover.py
@@ -37,6 +37,7 @@ def main():
 
     os.chdir(args.tests_dir)
     os.environ["TMPDIR"] = temp_dir
+    os.environ["AT_SPI_CLIENT"] = "yes"
 
     try:
         test = unittest.defaultTestLoader.discover(".")
diff --git a/src/sugar3/test/unittest.py b/src/sugar3/test/unittest.py
index aba715bd..d6628833 100644
--- a/src/sugar3/test/unittest.py
+++ b/src/sugar3/test/unittest.py
@@ -35,14 +35,10 @@ class UITestCase(unittest.TestCase):
         self._orig_level = logger.getEffectiveLevel()
         logger.setLevel(logging.DEBUG)
 
-        os.environ["AT_SPI_CLIENT"] = "yes"
-
     def tearDown(self):
         logger = logging.getLogger()
         logger.setLevel(self._orig_level)
 
-        del os.environ["AT_SPI_CLIENT"]
-
     @contextmanager
     def run_view(self, name):
         view_path = os.path.join("views", "%s.py" % name)