diff --git a/bin/pyspark b/bin/pyspark
index be88f7a6e743d..d09d1ba8a6ce2 100755
--- a/bin/pyspark
+++ b/bin/pyspark
@@ -86,6 +86,7 @@ export PYTHONSTARTUP="$SPARK_HOME/python/pyspark/shell.py"
 if [[ -n "$SPARK_TESTING" ]]; then
   unset YARN_CONF_DIR
   unset HADOOP_CONF_DIR
+  export PYSPARK_SUBMIT_ARGS=pyspark-shell
   if [[ -n "$PYSPARK_DOC_TEST" ]]; then
     exec "$PYSPARK_DRIVER_PYTHON" -m doctest $1
   else