diff --git a/maxscale-system-test/mdbci/run_test.sh b/maxscale-system-test/mdbci/run_test.sh
index 68e3958d1..5ee29004e 100755
--- a/maxscale-system-test/mdbci/run_test.sh
+++ b/maxscale-system-test/mdbci/run_test.sh
@@ -63,7 +63,7 @@ mdbci destroy ${mdbci_config_name}
 ulimit -c unlimited
 cd ${script_dir}/..
 mkdir build && cd build
-cmake .. -DBUILDNAME={mdbci_config_name} -DCMAKE_BUILD_TYPE=Debug
+cmake .. -DBUILDNAME=${mdbci_config_name} -DCMAKE_BUILD_TYPE=Debug -DBUILD_SYSTEM_TESTS=Y
 make
 
 echo ${test_set} | grep "NAME#"