diff --git a/test/conftest.py b/test/conftest.py
index 8fb8d9fb80a2be7be109514ef87b95cee718e964..96b97f28eb2d8fceda8f15346e5eff8ffd1f7621 100644
--- a/test/conftest.py
+++ b/test/conftest.py
@@ -325,6 +325,9 @@ class Instance:
         if not os.environ.get("PICODATA_LOG_LEVEL") and "PICODATA_LOG_LEVEL" not in env:
             env.update(PICODATA_LOG_LEVEL="verbose")
 
+        if os.environ.get("RUST_BACKTRACE") is not None:
+            env.update(RUST_BACKTRACE=str(os.environ.get("RUST_BACKTRACE")))
+
         self.process = subprocess.Popen(
             self.command,
             env=env or None,