diff --git a/nf-test.config b/nf-test.config
index d26d6034..a1359d77 100644
--- a/nf-test.config
+++ b/nf-test.config
@@ -14,10 +14,5 @@ config {
     // run all test with the defined docker profile from the main nextflow.config
     profile ""
 
-    env {
-    NCBI_EMAIL = "$NCBI_EMAIL"
-    NCBI_KEY   = "$NCBI_KEY"
-    }
-
 }
 
diff --git a/tests/nextflow.config b/tests/nextflow.config
index e69de29b..3aa1b95c 100644
--- a/tests/nextflow.config
+++ b/tests/nextflow.config
@@ -0,0 +1,4 @@
+env {
+    NCBI_EMAIL = "${NCBI_EMAIL}"
+    NCBI_KEY   = "${NCBI_KEY}"
+    }