diff --git a/openwisp_controller/config/tests/test_admin.py b/openwisp_controller/config/tests/test_admin.py
index 6ac0fb3cf..2716abebb 100644
--- a/openwisp_controller/config/tests/test_admin.py
+++ b/openwisp_controller/config/tests/test_admin.py
@@ -445,6 +445,7 @@ def test_download_device_config_404(self):
         response = self.client.get(path)
         self.assertEqual(response.status_code, 404)
 
+    @patch('openwisp_controller.config.settings.HARDWARE_ID_ENABLED', True)
     def test_preview_device_config(self):
         templates = Template.objects.all()
         path = reverse(f'admin:{self.app_label}_device_preview')
@@ -807,6 +808,7 @@ def test_ip_in_change_device(self):
         response = self.client.get(path)
         self.assertContains(response, 'last_ip')
 
+    @patch('openwisp_controller.config.settings.HARDWARE_ID_ENABLED', True)
     def test_hardware_id_in_change_device(self):
         d = self._create_device()
         t = Template.objects.first()
diff --git a/openwisp_controller/config/tests/test_config.py b/openwisp_controller/config/tests/test_config.py
index c71788a5b..2d4a2e4ae 100644
--- a/openwisp_controller/config/tests/test_config.py
+++ b/openwisp_controller/config/tests/test_config.py
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 from copy import deepcopy
+from unittest.mock import patch
 
-from django.conf import settings
 from django.core.exceptions import ValidationError
 from django.db.transaction import atomic
 from django.test import TestCase
@@ -229,13 +229,14 @@ def test_context_validation(self):
                     'the supplied value is not a JSON object', message_dict['context']
                 )
 
+    @patch.dict(app_settings.CONTEXT, {'vpnserver1': 'vpn.testdomain.com'})
     def test_context_setting(self):
         config = {'general': {'vpnserver1': '{{ vpnserver1 }}'}}
         c = Config(
             device=self._create_device(), backend='netjsonconfig.OpenWrt', config=config
         )
         output = c.backend_instance.render()
-        vpnserver1 = settings.OPENWISP_CONTROLLER_CONTEXT['vpnserver1']
+        vpnserver1 = app_settings.CONTEXT['vpnserver1']
         self.assertIn(vpnserver1, output)
 
     def test_mac_address_as_hostname(self):
diff --git a/openwisp_controller/config/tests/test_controller.py b/openwisp_controller/config/tests/test_controller.py
index 269938847..b83a86bf1 100644
--- a/openwisp_controller/config/tests/test_controller.py
+++ b/openwisp_controller/config/tests/test_controller.py
@@ -705,6 +705,7 @@ def test_registration_disabled(self):
         self.assertEqual(response.status_code, 403)
 
     @patch('openwisp_controller.config.settings.REGISTRATION_SELF_CREATION', False)
+    @patch('openwisp_controller.config.settings.HARDWARE_ID_ENABLED', True)
     def test_self_creation_disabled(self):
         self._create_org()
         options = {
diff --git a/openwisp_controller/config/tests/test_device.py b/openwisp_controller/config/tests/test_device.py
index 87d54999a..d2f2e2db4 100644
--- a/openwisp_controller/config/tests/test_device.py
+++ b/openwisp_controller/config/tests/test_device.py
@@ -28,6 +28,7 @@ def test_str_name(self):
         d = Device(name='test')
         self.assertEqual(str(d), 'test')
 
+    @mock.patch('openwisp_controller.config.settings.HARDWARE_ID_ENABLED', True)
     @mock.patch('openwisp_controller.config.settings.HARDWARE_ID_AS_NAME', True)
     def test_str_hardware_id(self):
         d = Device(name='test', hardware_id='123')
diff --git a/openwisp_controller/config/tests/test_template.py b/openwisp_controller/config/tests/test_template.py
index c7ff500d6..91e2201e4 100644
--- a/openwisp_controller/config/tests/test_template.py
+++ b/openwisp_controller/config/tests/test_template.py
@@ -2,7 +2,6 @@
 from unittest import mock
 
 from celery.exceptions import SoftTimeLimitExceeded
-from django.conf import settings
 from django.contrib.auth import get_user_model
 from django.core.exceptions import ValidationError
 from django.test import TestCase, TransactionTestCase
@@ -145,6 +144,7 @@ def test_auto_client_template_auto_cert_False(self):
         self.assertEqual(len(t.config['files']), 1)
         self.assertIn('ca_path', t.config['files'][0]['path'])
 
+    @mock.patch.dict(app_settings.CONTEXT, {'vpnserver1': 'vpn.testdomain.com'})
     def test_template_context_var(self):
         org = self._get_org()
         t = self._create_template(
@@ -164,13 +164,14 @@ def test_template_context_var(self):
         # clear cache
         del c.backend_instance
         output = c.backend_instance.render()
-        vpnserver1 = settings.OPENWISP_CONTROLLER_CONTEXT['vpnserver1']
+        vpnserver1 = app_settings.CONTEXT['vpnserver1']
         self.assertIn(vpnserver1, output)
 
+    @mock.patch.dict(app_settings.CONTEXT, {'vpnserver1': 'vpn.testdomain.com'})
     def test_get_context(self):
         t = self._create_template()
         expected = {}
-        expected.update(settings.OPENWISP_CONTROLLER_CONTEXT)
+        expected.update(app_settings.CONTEXT)
         self.assertEqual(t.get_context(), expected)
 
     def test_tamplates_clone(self):
diff --git a/openwisp_controller/config/tests/test_vpn.py b/openwisp_controller/config/tests/test_vpn.py
index cc7bf546e..35021471f 100644
--- a/openwisp_controller/config/tests/test_vpn.py
+++ b/openwisp_controller/config/tests/test_vpn.py
@@ -1,7 +1,6 @@
 from unittest import mock
 
 from celery.exceptions import SoftTimeLimitExceeded
-from django.conf import settings
 from django.core.exceptions import ValidationError
 from django.test import TestCase, TransactionTestCase
 from swapper import load_model
@@ -225,6 +224,7 @@ def test_get_auto_context_keys(self):
         }
         self.assertEqual(keys, control)
 
+    @mock.patch.dict(app_settings.CONTEXT, {'vpnserver1': 'vpn.testdomain.com'})
     def test_get_context(self):
         v = self._create_vpn()
         expected = {
@@ -233,7 +233,7 @@ def test_get_context(self):
             'key': v.cert.private_key,
             'dh': v.dh,
         }
-        expected.update(settings.OPENWISP_CONTROLLER_CONTEXT)
+        expected.update(app_settings.CONTEXT)
         self.assertEqual(v.get_context(), expected)
         self.assertNotEqual(v.get_context(), app_settings.CONTEXT)
 
@@ -248,9 +248,10 @@ def test_dh(self, mocked_dhparam):
         self.assertTrue(v.dh.startswith('-----BEGIN DH PARAMETERS-----'))
         self.assertTrue(v.dh.endswith('-----END DH PARAMETERS-----\n'))
 
+    @mock.patch.dict(app_settings.CONTEXT, {'vpnserver1': 'vpn.testdomain.com'})
     def test_get_context_empty_vpn(self):
         v = Vpn()
-        self.assertEqual(v.get_context(), settings.OPENWISP_CONTROLLER_CONTEXT)
+        self.assertEqual(v.get_context(), app_settings.CONTEXT)
 
     def test_key_validator(self):
         v = self._create_vpn()
diff --git a/tests/openwisp2/settings.py b/tests/openwisp2/settings.py
index 43b76e98b..22bf571d4 100644
--- a/tests/openwisp2/settings.py
+++ b/tests/openwisp2/settings.py
@@ -180,8 +180,6 @@
 OPENWISP_CONTROLLER_CONTEXT = {'vpnserver1': 'vpn.testdomain.com'}
 
 TEST_RUNNER = 'openwisp_utils.tests.TimeLoggingTestRunner'
-if TESTING:
-    OPENWISP_CONTROLLER_HARDWARE_ID_ENABLED = True
 
 if os.environ.get('SAMPLE_APP', False):
     # Replace Config