diff --git a/.travis.yml b/.travis.yml
index 5e44cdb8..58dd6b9b 100644
--- a/.travis.yml
+++ b/.travis.yml
@@ -31,8 +31,6 @@ install:
   - git clone --depth=1 https://github.com/OCA/maintainer-quality-tools.git ${HOME}/maintainer-quality-tools
   - export PATH=${HOME}/maintainer-quality-tools/travis:${PATH}
   - travis_install_nightly
-  # Requirements to test server_environment modules
-  - printf '[options]\n\nrunning_env = dev\n' > ${HOME}/.openerp_serverrc
   - ln -s ${TRAVIS_BUILD_DIR}/server_environment_files_sample ${TRAVIS_BUILD_DIR}/server_environment_files
 
 script:
diff --git a/server_environment/readme/CONFIGURE.rst b/server_environment/readme/CONFIGURE.rst
index deca37ca..6610f449 100644
--- a/server_environment/readme/CONFIGURE.rst
+++ b/server_environment/readme/CONFIGURE.rst
@@ -8,6 +8,8 @@ used values are 'dev', 'test', 'production'::
 Values associated to keys containing 'passw' are only displayed in the 'dev'
 environment.
 
+If you don't provide any value, `test` is used as a safe default.
+
 You have several possibilities to set configuration values:
 
 server_environment_files
diff --git a/server_environment/serv_config.py b/server_environment/serv_config.py
index a18bd228..aad77987 100644
--- a/server_environment/serv_config.py
+++ b/server_environment/serv_config.py
@@ -45,14 +45,19 @@
 _boolean_states = {'1': True, 'yes': True, 'true': True, 'on': True,
                    '0': False, 'no': False, 'false': False, 'off': False}
 
-if not system_base_config.get('running_env', False):
-    raise Exception(
-        "The parameter 'running_env' has not be set neither in base config "
-        "file option -c or in openerprc.\n"
-        "We strongly recommend against using the rc file but instead use an "
-        "explicit config file with this content:\n"
-        "[options]\nrunning_env = dev"
-    )
+
+def _load_running_env():
+    if not system_base_config.get("running_env"):
+        _logger.warning("`running_env` not found. Using default = `test`.")
+        _logger.warning(
+            "We strongly recommend against using the rc file but instead use an "
+            "explicit config file or env variable."
+        )
+        # safe default
+        system_base_config["running_env"] = "test"
+
+
+_load_running_env()
 
 ck_path = None
 if _dir:
@@ -164,9 +169,6 @@ def _build_model(cls, pool, cr):
         """
         ModelClass = super(ServerConfiguration, cls)._build_model(pool, cr)
         ModelClass._add_columns()
-        ModelClass.running_env = system_base_config['running_env']
-        # Only show passwords in development
-        ModelClass.show_passwords = ModelClass.running_env in ('dev',)
         ModelClass._arch = None
         ModelClass._build_osv()
         return ModelClass
@@ -175,6 +177,10 @@ def _build_model(cls, pool, cr):
     def _format_key(cls, section, key):
         return '%s_I_%s' % (section, key)
 
+    @property
+    def show_passwords(self):
+        return system_base_config["running_env"] in ("dev",)
+
     @classmethod
     def _format_key_display_name(cls, key_name):
         return key_name.replace('_I_', ' | ')
diff --git a/server_environment/tests/common.py b/server_environment/tests/common.py
index d74a1333..7476760d 100644
--- a/server_environment/tests/common.py
+++ b/server_environment/tests/common.py
@@ -7,7 +7,6 @@
 
 from odoo.tests import common
 from odoo.addons.server_environment import server_env
-from odoo.tools.config import config
 
 import odoo.addons.server_environment.models.server_env_mixin as \
     server_env_mixin
@@ -15,15 +14,6 @@
 
 class ServerEnvironmentCase(common.SavepointCase):
 
-    def setUp(self):
-        super().setUp()
-        self._original_running_env = config.get('running_env')
-        config['running_env'] = 'testing'
-
-    def tearDown(self):
-        super().tearDown()
-        config['running_env'] = self._original_running_env
-
     @contextmanager
     def set_config_dir(self, path):
         original_dir = server_env._dir
diff --git a/server_environment/tests/test_environment_variable.py b/server_environment/tests/test_environment_variable.py
index 469bc180..d3260326 100644
--- a/server_environment/tests/test_environment_variable.py
+++ b/server_environment/tests/test_environment_variable.py
@@ -2,10 +2,21 @@
 # License GPL-3.0 or later (http://www.gnu.org/licenses/agpl).
 
 
+from unittest.mock import patch
+
+from odoo.tools.config import config as odoo_config
+
 from odoo.addons.server_environment import server_env
 from .common import ServerEnvironmentCase
 
 
+class TestRunningEnvDefault(ServerEnvironmentCase):
+    def test_running_env_default(self):
+        """When var is not provided it defaults to `test`."""
+        self.assertEqual(odoo_config["running_env"], "test")
+
+
+@patch.dict(odoo_config.options, {"running_env": "testing"})
 class TestEnvironmentVariables(ServerEnvironmentCase):
 
     def test_env_variables(self):
diff --git a/server_environment/tests/test_server_environment.py b/server_environment/tests/test_server_environment.py
index ee337987..46031a3b 100644
--- a/server_environment/tests/test_server_environment.py
+++ b/server_environment/tests/test_server_environment.py
@@ -1,5 +1,10 @@
 # Copyright 2018 Camptocamp (https://www.camptocamp.com).
 # License GPL-3.0 or later (http://www.gnu.org/licenses/agpl).
+
+from unittest.mock import patch
+
+from odoo.tools.config import config as odoo_config
+
 from odoo.addons.server_environment import server_env
 from . import common
 
@@ -11,7 +16,7 @@ def test_view(self):
         view = model.fields_view_get()
         self.assertTrue(view)
 
-    def test_default(self):
+    def _test_default(self, hidden_pwd=False):
         model = self.env['server.config']
         rec = model.create({})
         defaults = rec.default_get([])
@@ -20,11 +25,20 @@ def test_default(self):
         pass_checked = False
         for default in defaults:
             if 'passw' in default:
-                self.assertNotEqual(defaults[default],
-                                    '**********')
+                check = self.assertEqual if hidden_pwd else self.assertNotEqual
+                check(defaults[default], "**********")
                 pass_checked = True
         self.assertTrue(pass_checked)
 
+    @patch.dict(odoo_config.options, {"running_env": "dev"})
+    def test_default_dev(self):
+        self._test_default()
+
+    @patch.dict(odoo_config.options, {"running_env": "whatever"})
+    def test_default_non_dev_env(self):
+        self._test_default(hidden_pwd=True)
+
+    @patch.dict(odoo_config.options, {"running_env": "testing"})
     def test_value_retrival(self):
         with self.set_config_dir('testfiles'):
             parser = server_env._load_config()
diff --git a/server_environment_files_sample/dev/base.conf b/server_environment_files_sample/test/base.conf
similarity index 100%
rename from server_environment_files_sample/dev/base.conf
rename to server_environment_files_sample/test/base.conf
diff --git a/server_environment_files_sample/dev/mytopic.conf b/server_environment_files_sample/test/mytopic.conf
similarity index 100%
rename from server_environment_files_sample/dev/mytopic.conf
rename to server_environment_files_sample/test/mytopic.conf