diff --git a/doc/ci/variables/README.md b/doc/ci/variables/README.md
index dfea10314b9875547ad031186ebec61e699162a0..aa4395b01a9f7d86d3c9b2c7485e9c30a51bbd78 100644
--- a/doc/ci/variables/README.md
+++ b/doc/ci/variables/README.md
@@ -353,6 +353,8 @@ Running on runner-8a2f473d-project-1796893-concurrent-0 via runner-8a2f473d-mach
 ++ CI_PROJECT_URL=https://example.com/gitlab-examples/ci-debug-trace
 ++ export CI_PIPELINE_ID=52666
 ++ CI_PIPELINE_ID=52666
+++ export CI_PIPELINE_IID=123
+++ CI_PIPELINE_IID=123
 ++ export CI_RUNNER_ID=1337
 ++ CI_RUNNER_ID=1337
 ++ export CI_RUNNER_DESCRIPTION=shared-runners-manager-1.example.com
@@ -440,6 +442,7 @@ export CI_JOB_MANUAL="true"
 export CI_JOB_TRIGGERED="true"
 export CI_JOB_TOKEN="abcde-1234ABCD5678ef"
 export CI_PIPELINE_ID="1000"
+export CI_PIPELINE_IID="10"
 export CI_PROJECT_ID="34"
 export CI_PROJECT_DIR="/builds/gitlab-org/gitlab-ce"
 export CI_PROJECT_NAME="gitlab-ce"
diff --git a/spec/lib/gitlab/ci/pipeline/chain/populate_spec.rb b/spec/lib/gitlab/ci/pipeline/chain/populate_spec.rb
index e1766fc0ec9ded4b8f18c270be585ae180c17112..c5a4d9b477862d264391193bdf6776c1ba2f8c28 100644
--- a/spec/lib/gitlab/ci/pipeline/chain/populate_spec.rb
+++ b/spec/lib/gitlab/ci/pipeline/chain/populate_spec.rb
@@ -143,7 +143,7 @@ describe Gitlab::Ci::Pipeline::Chain::Populate do
       it 'wastes pipeline iid' do
         expect { step.perform! }.to raise_error
 
-        expect(InternalId.ci_pipelines.where(project_id: project.id).exists?).to be_truthy
+        expect(InternalId.ci_pipelines.where(project_id: project.id).last.last_value).to be > 0
       end
     end
   end
@@ -157,7 +157,7 @@ describe Gitlab::Ci::Pipeline::Chain::Populate do
   end
 
   context 'when variables policy is specified' do
-    shared_examples_for 'populates pipeline according to used policies' do
+    shared_examples_for 'a correct pipeline' do
       it 'populates pipeline according to used policies' do
         step.perform!
 
@@ -177,7 +177,7 @@ describe Gitlab::Ci::Pipeline::Chain::Populate do
         build(:ci_pipeline, ref: 'master', config: config)
       end
 
-      it_behaves_like 'populates pipeline according to used policies'
+      it_behaves_like 'a correct pipeline'
 
       context 'when variables expression is specified' do
         context 'when pipeline iid is the subject' do
@@ -186,7 +186,7 @@ describe Gitlab::Ci::Pipeline::Chain::Populate do
               prod: { script: 'cap prod', only: { variables: ["$CI_PIPELINE_IID == '1000'"] } } }
           end
 
-          it_behaves_like 'populates pipeline according to used policies'
+          it_behaves_like 'a correct pipeline'
         end
       end
     end