diff --git a/maxscale-system-test/testconnections.cpp b/maxscale-system-test/testconnections.cpp
index a55f93929..cf86a20d5 100644
--- a/maxscale-system-test/testconnections.cpp
+++ b/maxscale-system-test/testconnections.cpp
@@ -63,10 +63,21 @@ void TestConnections::require_galera_version(const char *version)
 }
 
 TestConnections::TestConnections(int argc, char *argv[]):
-    no_backend_log_copy(false), use_snapshots(false), verbose(false), rwsplit_port(4006),
-    readconn_master_port(4008), readconn_slave_port(4009), binlog_port(5306),
-    global_result(0), binlog_cmd_option(0), enable_timeouts(true), use_ipv6(false),
-    no_galera(false), binlog_master_gtid(false), binlog_slave_gtid(false),
+    no_backend_log_copy(false),
+    use_snapshots(false),
+    verbose(false),
+    smoke(true),
+    rwsplit_port(4006),
+    readconn_master_port(4008),
+    readconn_slave_port(4009),
+    binlog_port(5306),
+    global_result(0),
+    binlog_cmd_option(0),
+    enable_timeouts(true),
+    use_ipv6(false),
+    no_galera(false),
+    binlog_master_gtid(false),
+    binlog_slave_gtid(false),
     no_vm_revert(true)
 {
     signal_set(SIGSEGV, sigfatal_handler);
@@ -508,14 +519,12 @@ int TestConnections::read_env()
     }
 
     env = getenv("smoke");
-    if ((env != NULL) && ((strcasecmp(env, "yes") == 0) || (strcasecmp(env, "true") == 0) ))
+    if (env)
     {
-        smoke = true;
-    }
-    else
-    {
-        smoke = false;
+        smoke = strcasecmp(env, "yes") == 0 || strcasecmp(env, "true") == 0 ||
+                strcasecmp(env, "1") == 0 || strcasecmp(env, "on") == 0;
     }
+
     env = getenv("threads");
     if ((env != NULL))
     {