diff --git a/spring-cloud-stream-binders/spring-cloud-stream-binder-kafka/src/test/java/org/springframework/cloud/stream/binder/kafka/KafkaBinderTests.java b/spring-cloud-stream-binders/spring-cloud-stream-binder-kafka/src/test/java/org/springframework/cloud/stream/binder/kafka/KafkaBinderTests.java
index 959281c92..ef2bc09bb 100644
--- a/spring-cloud-stream-binders/spring-cloud-stream-binder-kafka/src/test/java/org/springframework/cloud/stream/binder/kafka/KafkaBinderTests.java
+++ b/spring-cloud-stream-binders/spring-cloud-stream-binder-kafka/src/test/java/org/springframework/cloud/stream/binder/kafka/KafkaBinderTests.java
@@ -84,7 +84,7 @@ public class KafkaBinderTests extends PartitionCapableBinderTests<KafkaTestBinde
 	private final String CLASS_UNDER_TEST_NAME = KafkaMessageChannelBinder.class.getSimpleName();
 
 	@ClassRule
-	public static KafkaTestSupport kafkaTestSupport = new KafkaTestSupport(true);
+	public static KafkaTestSupport kafkaTestSupport = new KafkaTestSupport();
 
 	private KafkaTestBinder binder;
 
diff --git a/spring-cloud-stream-binders/spring-cloud-stream-binder-test/src/main/java/org/springframework/cloud/stream/binder/AbstractBinderTests.java b/spring-cloud-stream-binders/spring-cloud-stream-binder-test/src/main/java/org/springframework/cloud/stream/binder/AbstractBinderTests.java
index c0d913ce5..0cec62e50 100644
--- a/spring-cloud-stream-binders/spring-cloud-stream-binder-test/src/main/java/org/springframework/cloud/stream/binder/AbstractBinderTests.java
+++ b/spring-cloud-stream-binders/spring-cloud-stream-binder-test/src/main/java/org/springframework/cloud/stream/binder/AbstractBinderTests.java
@@ -194,7 +194,6 @@ public abstract class AbstractBinderTests<B extends AbstractTestBinder<? extends
 		if (testBinder != null) {
 			testBinder.cleanup();
 		}
-		System.clearProperty("SCS_KAFKA_TEST_EMBEDDED");
 	}
 
 	/**
diff --git a/spring-cloud-stream-test-support-internal/src/main/java/org/springframework/cloud/stream/test/junit/kafka/KafkaTestSupport.java b/spring-cloud-stream-test-support-internal/src/main/java/org/springframework/cloud/stream/test/junit/kafka/KafkaTestSupport.java
index 876861498..797d7e5e2 100644
--- a/spring-cloud-stream-test-support-internal/src/main/java/org/springframework/cloud/stream/test/junit/kafka/KafkaTestSupport.java
+++ b/spring-cloud-stream-test-support-internal/src/main/java/org/springframework/cloud/stream/test/junit/kafka/KafkaTestSupport.java
@@ -70,7 +70,9 @@ public class KafkaTestSupport extends AbstractExternalResourceTestSupport<String
 
 	static {
 		// check if either the environment or Java property is set to use embedded tests
-		defaultEmbedded = "true".equals(System.getenv(SCS_KAFKA_TEST_EMBEDDED)) || "true".equals(System.getProperty(SCS_KAFKA_TEST_EMBEDDED));
+		// unless the property is explicitly set to false, default to embedded
+		defaultEmbedded = !("false".equals(System.getenv(SCS_KAFKA_TEST_EMBEDDED))
+				|| "false".equals(System.getProperty(SCS_KAFKA_TEST_EMBEDDED)));
 	}
 
 	public KafkaTestSupport() {