diff --git a/packages/vitest/src/node/plugins/index.ts b/packages/vitest/src/node/plugins/index.ts
index 539f7b7c80b2..fc99a17d583c 100644
--- a/packages/vitest/src/node/plugins/index.ts
+++ b/packages/vitest/src/node/plugins/index.ts
@@ -26,6 +26,9 @@ export async function VitestPlugin(options: UserConfig = {}, ctx = new Vitest())
         preOptions.api = resolveApiConfig(preOptions)
 
         return {
+          // we are setting NODE_ENV when running CLI to 'test',
+          // but it can be overriden
+          mode: viteConfig.mode || process.env.NODE_ENV || 'test',
           clearScreen: false,
           resolve: {
             // by default Vite resolves `module` field, which not always a native ESM module