diff --git a/test/test_bins.sh b/test/test_bins.sh
index 452ecbcb..2f65c224 100755
--- a/test/test_bins.sh
+++ b/test/test_bins.sh
@@ -41,6 +41,10 @@ PATH=../src/flac:$PATH
 PATH=../obj/$BUILD/bin:$PATH
 BINS_PATH=../../test_files/bins
 
+if [ x"$FLAC__TEST_LEVEL" = x ] ; then
+	FLAC__TEST_LEVEL=1
+fi
+
 flac --help 1>/dev/null 2>/dev/null || die "ERROR can't find flac executable"
 
 run_flac ()
diff --git a/test/test_streams.sh b/test/test_streams.sh
index d3d9fc9e..09968664 100755
--- a/test/test_streams.sh
+++ b/test/test_streams.sh
@@ -35,6 +35,10 @@ PATH=../src/flac:$PATH
 PATH=../src/test_streams:$PATH
 PATH=../obj/$BUILD/bin:$PATH
 
+if [ x"$FLAC__TEST_LEVEL" = x ] ; then
+	FLAC__TEST_LEVEL=1
+fi
+
 flac --help 1>/dev/null 2>/dev/null || die "ERROR can't find flac executable"
 
 run_flac ()