diff --git a/.gitlab-ci.yml b/.gitlab-ci.yml
index c49ab232cb268e68dde24ce875113b5e03358d4a..007753e4d7af462be9cb290511d2538d17bd24c9 100644
--- a/.gitlab-ci.yml
+++ b/.gitlab-ci.yml
@@ -70,6 +70,7 @@ Python 3.6 POCL:
 Python 3.5 Conda:
   script:
   - export SUMPY_NO_CACHE=1
+  - export SUMPY_FORCE_SYMBOLIC_BACKEND=symengine
   - CONDA_ENVIRONMENT=.test-conda-env-py3.yml
   - REQUIREMENTS_TXT=.test-conda-env-py3-requirements.txt
   - curl -L -O -k https://gitlab.tiker.net/inducer/ci-support/raw/master/build-and-test-py-project-within-miniconda.sh
diff --git a/test/test_kernels.py b/test/test_kernels.py
index a0cf8ae7f34a529d60e1cc07d45af87c854d3db8..65295e29451e039619ef65076926cc1b5b182d22 100644
--- a/test/test_kernels.py
+++ b/test/test_kernels.py
@@ -141,9 +141,6 @@ def test_p2e2p(ctx_getter, base_knl, expn_class, order, with_source_derivative):
     from sympy.core.cache import clear_cache
     clear_cache()
 
-    from sumpy import set_caching_enabled
-    set_caching_enabled(False)
-
     ctx = ctx_getter()
     queue = cl.CommandQueue(ctx)
 
@@ -334,8 +331,6 @@ def test_p2e2p(ctx_getter, base_knl, expn_class, order, with_source_derivative):
             slack += 0.3
             grad_slack += 0.3
 
-    set_caching_enabled(True)
-
     assert eoc_rec_pot.order_estimate() > tgt_order - slack
     assert eoc_rec_grad_x.order_estimate() > tgt_order_grad - grad_slack
 
@@ -355,9 +350,6 @@ def test_translations(ctx_getter, knl, local_expn_class, mpole_expn_class):
     from sympy.core.cache import clear_cache
     clear_cache()
 
-    from sumpy import set_caching_enabled
-    set_caching_enabled(False)
-
     ctx = ctx_getter()
     queue = cl.CommandQueue(ctx)
 
@@ -605,8 +597,6 @@ def test_translations(ctx_getter, knl, local_expn_class, mpole_expn_class):
 
         pconv_verifier_full.add_data_point(order, err)
 
-    set_caching_enabled(True)
-
     for name, verifier in [
             ("p2m2p", pconv_verifier_p2m2p),
             ("p2m2m2p", pconv_verifier_p2m2m2p),