diff --git a/subprojects/gst-devtools/validate/gst/validate/gst-validate-report.c b/subprojects/gst-devtools/validate/gst/validate/gst-validate-report.c
index 6017b17874..5f1877e7e4 100644
--- a/subprojects/gst-devtools/validate/gst/validate/gst-validate-report.c
+++ b/subprojects/gst-devtools/validate/gst/validate/gst-validate-report.c
@@ -48,7 +48,8 @@
 #include "gst-validate-scenario.h"
 
 static GstClockTime _gst_validate_report_start_time = 0;
-static GstValidateDebugFlags _gst_validate_flags = 0;
+static GstValidateDebugFlags _gst_validate_flags =
+    GST_VALIDATE_FATAL_CRITICALS | GST_VALIDATE_PRINT_ISSUES;
 static GHashTable *_gst_validate_issues = NULL;
 static FILE **log_files = NULL;
 static gboolean output_is_tty = TRUE;
@@ -639,7 +640,7 @@ gst_validate_report_init (void)
 
     /* init the debug flags */
     var = g_getenv ("GST_VALIDATE");
-    if (var && strlen (var) > 0) {
+    if (var) {
       _gst_validate_flags =
           g_parse_debug_string (var, keys, G_N_ELEMENTS (keys));
     }
diff --git a/subprojects/gst-devtools/validate/tests/check/validate/overrides.c b/subprojects/gst-devtools/validate/tests/check/validate/overrides.c
index 78c2eedacb..9cbdfa770a 100644
--- a/subprojects/gst-devtools/validate/tests/check/validate/overrides.c
+++ b/subprojects/gst-devtools/validate/tests/check/validate/overrides.c
@@ -103,7 +103,8 @@ gst_validate_suite (void)
   if (atexit (gst_validate_deinit) != 0) {
     GST_ERROR ("failed to set gst_validate_deinit as exit function");
   }
-
+  // Do not abort on critical issues, as this test will generate them on purpose.
+  g_setenv ("GST_VALIDATE", "print_issues", TRUE);
   g_setenv ("GST_VALIDATE_REPORTING_DETAILS", "all", TRUE);
   gst_validate_init ();
   tcase_add_test (tc_chain, check_text_overrides);
diff --git a/subprojects/gst-devtools/validate/tests/check/validate/padmonitor.c b/subprojects/gst-devtools/validate/tests/check/validate/padmonitor.c
index 677543f231..5d5e731539 100644
--- a/subprojects/gst-devtools/validate/tests/check/validate/padmonitor.c
+++ b/subprojects/gst-devtools/validate/tests/check/validate/padmonitor.c
@@ -1067,6 +1067,8 @@ gst_validate_suite (void)
   if (atexit (gst_validate_deinit) != 0) {
     GST_ERROR ("failed to set gst_validate_deinit as exit function");
   }
+  // Do not abort on critical issues, as this test will generate them on purpose.
+  g_setenv ("GST_VALIDATE", "print_issues", TRUE);
 
   fake_elements_register ();