diff --git a/tests/bad-buffer-test.c b/tests/bad-buffer-test.c
index 31f72cb8..6d966d9b 100644
--- a/tests/bad-buffer-test.c
+++ b/tests/bad-buffer-test.c
@@ -42,6 +42,7 @@ fixture_setup(struct weston_test_harness *harness)
 	struct compositor_setup setup;
 
 	compositor_setup_defaults(&setup);
+	setup.shell = SHELL_TEST_DESKTOP;
 
 	return weston_test_harness_execute_as_client(harness, &setup);
 }
diff --git a/tests/event-test.c b/tests/event-test.c
index c2290b10..e1940411 100644
--- a/tests/event-test.c
+++ b/tests/event-test.c
@@ -35,6 +35,7 @@ fixture_setup(struct weston_test_harness *harness)
 	struct compositor_setup setup;
 
 	compositor_setup_defaults(&setup);
+	setup.shell = SHELL_TEST_DESKTOP;
 
 	return weston_test_harness_execute_as_client(harness, &setup);
 }
diff --git a/tests/keyboard-test.c b/tests/keyboard-test.c
index 01ffa0f8..9ccbfd06 100644
--- a/tests/keyboard-test.c
+++ b/tests/keyboard-test.c
@@ -38,6 +38,7 @@ fixture_setup(struct weston_test_harness *harness)
 	struct compositor_setup setup;
 
 	compositor_setup_defaults(&setup);
+	setup.shell = SHELL_TEST_DESKTOP;
 
 	return weston_test_harness_execute_as_client(harness, &setup);
 }
diff --git a/tests/linux-explicit-synchronization-test.c b/tests/linux-explicit-synchronization-test.c
index 4d3bffab..c1ca395f 100644
--- a/tests/linux-explicit-synchronization-test.c
+++ b/tests/linux-explicit-synchronization-test.c
@@ -40,6 +40,8 @@ fixture_setup(struct weston_test_harness *harness)
 
 	compositor_setup_defaults(&setup);
 
+	setup.shell = SHELL_TEST_DESKTOP;
+
 	/* We need to use the pixman renderer, since a few of the tests depend
 	 * on the renderer holding onto a surface buffer until the next one
 	 * is committed, which the noop renderer doesn't do. */
diff --git a/tests/plugin-registry-test.c b/tests/plugin-registry-test.c
index 85de5f8a..66981e6b 100644
--- a/tests/plugin-registry-test.c
+++ b/tests/plugin-registry-test.c
@@ -40,6 +40,7 @@ fixture_setup(struct weston_test_harness *harness)
 	struct compositor_setup setup;
 
 	compositor_setup_defaults(&setup);
+	setup.shell = SHELL_TEST_DESKTOP;
 
 	return weston_test_harness_execute_as_plugin(harness, &setup);
 }
diff --git a/tests/pointer-test.c b/tests/pointer-test.c
index 2e999ab5..cd727ac6 100644
--- a/tests/pointer-test.c
+++ b/tests/pointer-test.c
@@ -39,6 +39,7 @@ fixture_setup(struct weston_test_harness *harness)
 	struct compositor_setup setup;
 
 	compositor_setup_defaults(&setup);
+	setup.shell = SHELL_TEST_DESKTOP;
 
 	return weston_test_harness_execute_as_client(harness, &setup);
 }
diff --git a/tests/presentation-test.c b/tests/presentation-test.c
index 6e2112bd..a0862d60 100644
--- a/tests/presentation-test.c
+++ b/tests/presentation-test.c
@@ -45,6 +45,7 @@ fixture_setup(struct weston_test_harness *harness)
 	struct compositor_setup setup;
 
 	compositor_setup_defaults(&setup);
+	setup.shell = SHELL_TEST_DESKTOP;
 
 	return weston_test_harness_execute_as_client(harness, &setup);
 }
diff --git a/tests/roles-test.c b/tests/roles-test.c
index cbad65e5..d8842884 100644
--- a/tests/roles-test.c
+++ b/tests/roles-test.c
@@ -40,6 +40,7 @@ fixture_setup(struct weston_test_harness *harness)
 	struct compositor_setup setup;
 
 	compositor_setup_defaults(&setup);
+	setup.shell = SHELL_TEST_DESKTOP;
 	setup.logging_scopes = "log,proto,test-harness-plugin";
 
 	return weston_test_harness_execute_as_client(harness, &setup);
diff --git a/tests/subsurface-test.c b/tests/subsurface-test.c
index 53f8f227..edaea9fa 100644
--- a/tests/subsurface-test.c
+++ b/tests/subsurface-test.c
@@ -39,6 +39,7 @@ fixture_setup(struct weston_test_harness *harness)
 	struct compositor_setup setup;
 
 	compositor_setup_defaults(&setup);
+	setup.shell = SHELL_TEST_DESKTOP;
 
 	return weston_test_harness_execute_as_client(harness, &setup);
 }
diff --git a/tests/surface-global-test.c b/tests/surface-global-test.c
index 63393986..3d67b9bc 100644
--- a/tests/surface-global-test.c
+++ b/tests/surface-global-test.c
@@ -40,6 +40,7 @@ fixture_setup(struct weston_test_harness *harness)
 	struct compositor_setup setup;
 
 	compositor_setup_defaults(&setup);
+	setup.shell = SHELL_TEST_DESKTOP;
 
 	return weston_test_harness_execute_as_plugin(harness, &setup);
 }
diff --git a/tests/surface-test.c b/tests/surface-test.c
index 1a1db287..d9042d1b 100644
--- a/tests/surface-test.c
+++ b/tests/surface-test.c
@@ -39,6 +39,7 @@ fixture_setup(struct weston_test_harness *harness)
 	struct compositor_setup setup;
 
 	compositor_setup_defaults(&setup);
+	setup.shell = SHELL_TEST_DESKTOP;
 
 	return weston_test_harness_execute_as_plugin(harness, &setup);
 }
diff --git a/tests/touch-test.c b/tests/touch-test.c
index c2b563c9..080e7e73 100644
--- a/tests/touch-test.c
+++ b/tests/touch-test.c
@@ -39,6 +39,7 @@ fixture_setup(struct weston_test_harness *harness)
 	struct compositor_setup setup;
 
 	compositor_setup_defaults(&setup);
+	setup.shell = SHELL_TEST_DESKTOP;
 
 	return weston_test_harness_execute_as_client(harness, &setup);
 }
diff --git a/tests/viewporter-test.c b/tests/viewporter-test.c
index 4f010950..cbb973ef 100644
--- a/tests/viewporter-test.c
+++ b/tests/viewporter-test.c
@@ -42,6 +42,7 @@ fixture_setup(struct weston_test_harness *harness)
 	struct compositor_setup setup;
 
 	compositor_setup_defaults(&setup);
+	setup.shell = SHELL_TEST_DESKTOP;
 
 	return weston_test_harness_execute_as_client(harness, &setup);
 }
diff --git a/tests/xwayland-test.c b/tests/xwayland-test.c
index 7017eb00..f2e83812 100644
--- a/tests/xwayland-test.c
+++ b/tests/xwayland-test.c
@@ -50,6 +50,7 @@ fixture_setup(struct weston_test_harness *harness)
 	struct compositor_setup setup;
 
 	compositor_setup_defaults(&setup);
+	setup.shell = SHELL_TEST_DESKTOP;
 	setup.xwayland = true;
 
 	return weston_test_harness_execute_as_client(harness, &setup);