diff --git a/datalad_next/url_operations/tests/test_ssh.py b/datalad_next/url_operations/tests/test_ssh.py
index ec820fe32..c2293783f 100644
--- a/datalad_next/url_operations/tests/test_ssh.py
+++ b/datalad_next/url_operations/tests/test_ssh.py
@@ -12,9 +12,6 @@
     UrlOperationsResourceUnknown,
 )
 
-import os
-os.environ['DATALAD_TESTS_SSH'] = '1'
-
 
 # path magic inside the test is posix only
 @skip_if_on_windows