diff --git a/tests/subsys/shell/shell_backend_uart/prj.conf b/tests/subsys/shell/shell_backend_uart/prj.conf
index 0b87be611d833..ac4a7c4e7b584 100644
--- a/tests/subsys/shell/shell_backend_uart/prj.conf
+++ b/tests/subsys/shell/shell_backend_uart/prj.conf
@@ -7,3 +7,4 @@ CONFIG_SHELL_METAKEYS=n
 CONFIG_LOG=n
 CONFIG_ZTEST=y
 CONFIG_EMUL=y
+CONFIG_UART_SHELL=y