diff --git a/shell/ash_test/ash-vars/var_leak.right b/shell/ash_test/ash-vars/var_leak.right
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..45c5458dd
--- /dev/null
+++ b/shell/ash_test/ash-vars/var_leak.right
@@ -0,0 +1,2 @@
+should be empty: ''
+should be empty: ''
diff --git a/shell/ash_test/ash-vars/var_leak.tests b/shell/ash_test/ash-vars/var_leak.tests
new file mode 100755
index 000000000..1b1123fb7
--- /dev/null
+++ b/shell/ash_test/ash-vars/var_leak.tests
@@ -0,0 +1,9 @@
+# This currently fails with CONFIG_FEATURE_SH_NOFORK=y
+VAR=''
+VAR=qwe true
+echo "should be empty: '$VAR'"
+
+# This fails (always)
+VAR=''
+VAR=qwe exec 2>&1
+echo "should be empty: '$VAR'"