diff --git a/api/rest/config_test.go b/api/rest/config_test.go
index 67a27488..9e640984 100644
--- a/api/rest/config_test.go
+++ b/api/rest/config_test.go
@@ -110,14 +110,15 @@ func TestLoadJSON(t *testing.T) {
 	}
 }
 
-func TestLoadJSONEnvConfig(t *testing.T) {
+func TestApplyEnvVars(t *testing.T) {
 	username := "admin"
 	password := "thisaintmypassword"
 	user1 := "user1"
 	user1pass := "user1passwd"
 	os.Setenv("CLUSTER_RESTAPI_BASICAUTHCREDS", username+":"+password+","+user1+":"+user1pass)
 	cfg := &Config{}
-	err := cfg.LoadJSON(cfgJSON)
+	cfg.Default()
+	err := cfg.ApplyEnvVars()
 	if err != nil {
 		t.Fatal(err)
 	}
diff --git a/cluster_config_test.go b/cluster_config_test.go
index 2af5ec0b..9dc2fb08 100644
--- a/cluster_config_test.go
+++ b/cluster_config_test.go
@@ -187,15 +187,6 @@ func TestLoadJSON(t *testing.T) {
 			t.Error("expected default replication factors")
 		}
 	})
-
-	t.Run("env var override", func(t *testing.T) {
-		os.Setenv("CLUSTER_PEERNAME", "envsetpeername")
-		cfg := &Config{}
-		cfg.LoadJSON(ccfgTestJSON)
-		if cfg.Peername != "envsetpeername" {
-			t.Fatal("failed to override peername with env var")
-		}
-	})
 }
 
 func TestToJSON(t *testing.T) {
@@ -220,6 +211,16 @@ func TestDefault(t *testing.T) {
 	}
 }
 
+func TestApplyEnvVars(t *testing.T) {
+	os.Setenv("CLUSTER_PEERNAME", "envsetpeername")
+	cfg := &Config{}
+	cfg.Default()
+	cfg.ApplyEnvVars()
+	if cfg.Peername != "envsetpeername" {
+		t.Fatal("failed to override peername with env var")
+	}
+}
+
 func TestValidate(t *testing.T) {
 	cfg := &Config{}
 	cfg.Default()
diff --git a/config/config_test.go b/config/config_test.go
index 066d93fe..3fa39240 100644
--- a/config/config_test.go
+++ b/config/config_test.go
@@ -30,6 +30,10 @@ func (m *mockCfg) Default() error {
 	return nil
 }
 
+func (m *mockCfg) ApplyEnvVars() error {
+	return nil
+}
+
 func (m *mockCfg) Validate() error {
 	return nil
 }