diff --git a/unittests/CMakeLists.txt b/unittests/CMakeLists.txt
index a9be691ba3..f83f2f8234 100644
--- a/unittests/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/unittests/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -57,6 +57,7 @@ add_definitions(-D__PX4_POSIX)
 add_definitions(-D__PX4_TESTS)
 add_definitions(-D__PX4_UNIT_TESTS)
 add_definitions(-D_UNIT_TEST=)
+add_definitions(-DPARAM_NO_AUTOSAVE)
 add_definitions(-DERROR=-1)
 add_definitions(-Dmain_t=int)
 add_definitions(-Dnoreturn_function=)