diff --git a/awx/sso/tests/unit/test_ldap.py b/awx/sso/tests/unit/test_ldap.py
index 0a50871650..f8ad8264d7 100644
--- a/awx/sso/tests/unit/test_ldap.py
+++ b/awx/sso/tests/unit/test_ldap.py
@@ -2,6 +2,7 @@ import ldap
 
 from awx.sso.backends import LDAPSettings
 from awx.sso.validators import validate_ldap_filter
+from django.core.cache import cache
 
 
 def test_ldap_default_settings(mocker):
@@ -13,11 +14,11 @@ def test_ldap_default_settings(mocker):
 
 
 def test_ldap_default_network_timeout(mocker):
+    cache.clear()  # clearing cache avoids picking up stray default for OPT_REFERRALS
     from_db = mocker.Mock(**{'order_by.return_value': []})
     with mocker.patch('awx.conf.models.Setting.objects.filter', return_value=from_db):
         settings = LDAPSettings()
         assert settings.CONNECTION_OPTIONS == {
-            ldap.OPT_REFERRALS: 0,
             ldap.OPT_NETWORK_TIMEOUT: 30
         }