diff --git a/config/test.exs b/config/test.exs
index 40e93705d..9d752bdf8 100644
--- a/config/test.exs
+++ b/config/test.exs
@@ -172,6 +172,8 @@
 
 config :pleroma, Pleroma.Uploaders.Uploader, timeout: 1_000
 
+config :pleroma, Pleroma.Emoji.Loader, test_emoji: true
+
 if File.exists?("./config/test.secret.exs") do
   import_config "test.secret.exs"
 else
diff --git a/lib/pleroma/emoji/loader.ex b/lib/pleroma/emoji/loader.ex
index eb6f6816b..b6e544323 100644
--- a/lib/pleroma/emoji/loader.ex
+++ b/lib/pleroma/emoji/loader.ex
@@ -15,8 +15,6 @@ defmodule Pleroma.Emoji.Loader do
 
   require Logger
 
-  @mix_env Mix.env()
-
   @type pattern :: Regex.t() | module() | String.t()
   @type patterns :: pattern() | [pattern()]
   @type group_patterns :: keyword(patterns())
@@ -79,7 +77,7 @@ def load do
 
     # for testing emoji.txt entries we do not want exposed in normal operation
     test_emoji =
-      if @mix_env == :test do
+      if Application.get_env(:pleroma, __MODULE__)[:test_emoji] do
         load_from_file("test/config/emoji.txt", emoji_groups)
       else
         []