diff --git a/tests/common.sh.in b/tests/common.sh.in
index 403e144e2..9766642b0 100644
--- a/tests/common.sh.in
+++ b/tests/common.sh.in
@@ -27,6 +27,7 @@ export xmlflags="@xmlflags@"
 export xsltproc="@xsltproc@"
 
 export version=@version@
+export system=@system@
 
 export nixinstantiate=$TOP/src/nix-instantiate/nix-instantiate
 export nixstore=$TOP/src/nix-store/nix-store
diff --git a/tests/simple.sh b/tests/simple.sh
index a2242e34e..7f7b48f2d 100644
--- a/tests/simple.sh
+++ b/tests/simple.sh
@@ -2,6 +2,8 @@ source common.sh
 
 drvPath=$($nixinstantiate simple.nix)
 
+test "$($nixstore -q --binding system "$drvPath")" = "$system"
+
 echo "derivation is $drvPath"
 
 outPath=$($nixstore -rvv "$drvPath")