diff --git a/src/Microsoft.AspNetCore.Mvc.Testing/WebApplicationFactory.cs b/src/Microsoft.AspNetCore.Mvc.Testing/WebApplicationFactory.cs
index 910db78d92..f1edf8fc04 100644
--- a/src/Microsoft.AspNetCore.Mvc.Testing/WebApplicationFactory.cs
+++ b/src/Microsoft.AspNetCore.Mvc.Testing/WebApplicationFactory.cs
@@ -243,13 +243,22 @@ namespace Microsoft.AspNetCore.Mvc.Testing
         /// array as arguments.
         /// </remarks>
         /// <returns>A <see cref="IWebHostBuilder"/> instance.</returns>
-        protected virtual IWebHostBuilder CreateWebHostBuilder() =>
-            WebHostBuilderFactory.CreateFromTypesAssemblyEntryPoint<TEntryPoint>(Array.Empty<string>()) ??
-            throw new InvalidOperationException(Resources.FormatMissingCreateWebHostBuilderMethod(
-                nameof(IWebHostBuilder),
-                typeof(TEntryPoint).Assembly.EntryPoint.DeclaringType.FullName,
-                typeof(WebApplicationFactory<TEntryPoint>).Name,
-                nameof(CreateWebHostBuilder)));
+        protected virtual IWebHostBuilder CreateWebHostBuilder()
+        {
+            var builder = WebHostBuilderFactory.CreateFromTypesAssemblyEntryPoint<TEntryPoint>(Array.Empty<string>());
+            if (builder == null)
+            {
+                throw new InvalidOperationException(Resources.FormatMissingCreateWebHostBuilderMethod(
+                    nameof(IWebHostBuilder),
+                    typeof(TEntryPoint).Assembly.EntryPoint.DeclaringType.FullName,
+                    typeof(WebApplicationFactory<TEntryPoint>).Name,
+                    nameof(CreateWebHostBuilder)));
+            }
+            else
+            {
+                return builder.UseEnvironment("Development");
+            }
+        }
 
         /// <summary>
         /// Creates the <see cref="TestServer"/> with the bootstrapped application in <paramref name="builder"/>.
diff --git a/test/Microsoft.AspNetCore.Mvc.FunctionalTests/Infrastructure/MvcTestFixture.cs b/test/Microsoft.AspNetCore.Mvc.FunctionalTests/Infrastructure/MvcTestFixture.cs
index f80e530537..7e32759610 100644
--- a/test/Microsoft.AspNetCore.Mvc.FunctionalTests/Infrastructure/MvcTestFixture.cs
+++ b/test/Microsoft.AspNetCore.Mvc.FunctionalTests/Infrastructure/MvcTestFixture.cs
@@ -17,6 +17,7 @@ namespace Microsoft.AspNetCore.Mvc.FunctionalTests
         {
             builder
                 .UseRequestCulture<TStartup>("en-GB", "en-US")
+                .UseEnvironment("Production")
                 .ConfigureServices(
                     services => services.Configure<MvcCompatibilityOptions>(
                         options => options.CompatibilityVersion = CompatibilityVersion.Version_2_1));