diff --git a/test/search b/test/search
index bf965e7d..99d94bd2 100755
--- a/test/search
+++ b/test/search
@@ -130,6 +130,7 @@ output=$(notmuch search "bödý" | notmuch_search_sanitize)
 test_expect_equal "$output" "thread:XXX   2000-01-01 [1/1] Notmuch Test Suite; utf8-message-body-subject (inbox unread)"
 
 test_begin_subtest "Exclude \"deleted\" messages from search"
+notmuch config set search.exclude_tags = deleted
 generate_message '[subject]="Not deleted"'
 generate_message '[subject]="Deleted"'
 notmuch new > /dev/null
@@ -147,4 +148,11 @@ output=$(notmuch search subject:deleted | notmuch_search_sanitize)
 test_expect_equal "$output" "thread:XXX   2001-01-05 [1/1] Notmuch Test Suite; Not deleted (inbox unread)
 thread:XXX   2001-01-05 [1/2] Notmuch Test Suite; Not deleted reply (deleted inbox unread)"
 
+test_begin_subtest "Don't exclude \"deleted\" messages from search if not configured"
+test_subtest_known_broken
+notmuch config set search.exclude_tags
+output=$(notmuch search subject:deleted | notmuch_search_sanitize)
+test_expect_equal "$output" "thread:XXX   2001-01-05 [1/1] Notmuch Test Suite; Not deleted (inbox unread)
+thread:XXX   2001-01-05 [2/2] Notmuch Test Suite; Deleted (deleted inbox unread)"
+
 test_done