diff --git a/tests/cp/backup-1 b/tests/cp/backup-1
index 20da79067..9ea2ba9f2 100755
--- a/tests/cp/backup-1
+++ b/tests/cp/backup-1
@@ -16,7 +16,7 @@ echo test > $tmp || fail=1
 
 # Specify both version control and suffix so the environment variables
 # (possibly set by the user running these tests) aren't used.
-cp --force --backup --version-control=simple --suffix=$suffix $tmp $tmp \
+cp --force --backup=simple --suffix=$suffix $tmp $tmp \
   || fail=1
 
 test -f $tmp || fail=1