diff --git a/tests/zfs-tests/include/default.cfg.in b/tests/zfs-tests/include/default.cfg.in
index 3aed8ebea0..db70a02a78 100644
--- a/tests/zfs-tests/include/default.cfg.in
+++ b/tests/zfs-tests/include/default.cfg.in
@@ -80,7 +80,7 @@ export TESTPOOL=testpool
 export TESTPOOL1=testpool1
 export TESTPOOL2=testpool2
 export TESTPOOL3=testpool3
-export PERFPOOL=perfpool
+export PERFPOOL=${PERFPOOL:-perfpool}
 
 # some test file system names
 export TESTFS=testfs