diff --git a/tests/check/Makefile.am b/tests/check/Makefile.am
index 0ed71f2206..df3031ec16 100644
--- a/tests/check/Makefile.am
+++ b/tests/check/Makefile.am
@@ -8,7 +8,7 @@ REGISTRY_ENVIRONMENT = \
 
 TESTS_ENVIRONMENT = \
         CK_DEFAULT_TIMEOUT=120                                  \
-        STATE_IGNORE_ELEMENTS="$(STATE_IGNORE_ELEMENTS)"	\
+        GST_STATE_IGNORE_ELEMENTS="$(STATE_IGNORE_ELEMENTS)"	\
 	$(REGISTRY_ENVIRONMENT)					\
 	GST_PLUGIN_SYSTEM_PATH=					\
 	GST_PLUGIN_PATH=$(top_builddir)/gst:$(top_builddir)/sys:$(top_builddir)/ext:$(GST_PLUGINS_DIR) \
diff --git a/tests/check/generic/states.c b/tests/check/generic/states.c
index c6ebd6b19d..4db8a1bde3 100644
--- a/tests/check/generic/states.c
+++ b/tests/check/generic/states.c
@@ -39,8 +39,8 @@ setup (void)
   const gchar *STATE_IGNORE_ELEMENTS = NULL;
 
   GST_DEBUG ("getting elements for package %s", PACKAGE);
-  STATE_IGNORE_ELEMENTS = g_getenv ("STATE_IGNORE_ELEMENTS");
-  if (STATE_IGNORE_ELEMENTS) {
+  STATE_IGNORE_ELEMENTS = g_getenv ("GST_STATE_IGNORE_ELEMENTS");
+  if (!g_getenv ("GST_NO_STATE_IGNORE_ELEMENTS") && STATE_IGNORE_ELEMENTS) {
     GST_DEBUG ("Will ignore element factories: '%s'", STATE_IGNORE_ELEMENTS);
     ignorelist = g_strsplit (STATE_IGNORE_ELEMENTS, " ", 0);
   }