diff --git a/build-aux/check-mes.sh b/build-aux/check-mes.sh
index b6f92b7a..7b0c08fa 100755
--- a/build-aux/check-mes.sh
+++ b/build-aux/check-mes.sh
@@ -27,6 +27,7 @@ tests/boot.test
 tests/read.test
 tests/srfi-0.test
 tests/macro.test
+tests/gc.test
 tests/perform.test
 tests/base.test
 tests/quasiquote.test
diff --git a/tests/gc.test b/tests/gc.test
index bd1a5184..bdd1002d 100755
--- a/tests/gc.test
+++ b/tests/gc.test
@@ -1,5 +1,9 @@
 #! /bin/sh
 # -*-scheme-*-
+MES_ARENA=10000
+MES_MAX_ARENA=$MES_ARENA
+export MES_ARENA
+export MES_MAX_ARENA
 if [ "$MES" != guile ]; then
     MES_BOOT=$0 exec ${MES-mes}
 fi