diff --git a/platform/platform-impl/src/com/intellij/ide/startup/impl/StartupManagerImpl.java b/platform/platform-impl/src/com/intellij/ide/startup/impl/StartupManagerImpl.java
index b1839c87ac10..ad6a9567885c 100644
--- a/platform/platform-impl/src/com/intellij/ide/startup/impl/StartupManagerImpl.java
+++ b/platform/platform-impl/src/com/intellij/ide/startup/impl/StartupManagerImpl.java
@@ -215,7 +215,10 @@ public class StartupManagerImpl extends StartupManagerEx {
       }
     });
 
-    Registry.get("ide.firstStartup").setValue(false);
+    // otherwise will be stored - we must not create config files in tests
+    if (!app.isUnitTestMode()) {
+      Registry.get("ide.firstStartup").setValue(false);
+    }
   }
 
   public void scheduleInitialVfsRefresh() {