diff --git a/t/t5801-remote-helpers.sh b/t/t5801-remote-helpers.sh
index 4dcf744f97718298cb9adec17e44030b520162de..c956abd865b7149742ed85203b3ba73c42b0b39b 100755
--- a/t/t5801-remote-helpers.sh
+++ b/t/t5801-remote-helpers.sh
@@ -118,7 +118,9 @@ test_expect_success 'pushing without refspecs' '
 	(cd local2 &&
 	echo content >>file &&
 	git commit -a -m ten &&
-	GIT_REMOTE_TESTGIT_REFSPEC="" test_must_fail git push 2>../error) &&
+	GIT_REMOTE_TESTGIT_REFSPEC="" &&
+	export GIT_REMOTE_TESTGIT_REFSPEC &&
+	test_must_fail git push 2>../error) &&
 	grep "remote-helper doesn.t support push; refspec needed" error
 '