diff --git a/lib/logstash/environment.rb b/lib/logstash/environment.rb
index f59ae2bc8..0497ef60d 100644
--- a/lib/logstash/environment.rb
+++ b/lib/logstash/environment.rb
@@ -12,6 +12,8 @@ module LogStash
     GEMFILE_PATH = ::File.join(LOGSTASH_HOME, "tools", "Gemfile")
     BOOTSTRAP_GEM_PATH = ::File.join(LOGSTASH_HOME, 'build', 'bootstrap')
 
+    LOGSTASH_ENV = (ENV["LS_ENV"] || 'production').to_s.freeze
+
     # loads currently embedded elasticsearch jars
     # @raise LogStash::EnvironmentError if not running under JRuby or if no jar files are found
     def load_elasticsearch_jars!
@@ -33,6 +35,10 @@ module LogStash
       ::File.join(BUNDLE_DIR, ruby_engine, gem_ruby_version)
     end
 
+    def env
+      LOGSTASH_ENV
+    end
+
     # set GEM_PATH for logstash runtime
     # GEM_PATH should include the logstash gems, the plugin gems and the bootstrap gems.
     # the bootstrap gems are required specificly for bundler which is a runtime dependency
diff --git a/lib/logstash/pluginmanager/install.rb b/lib/logstash/pluginmanager/install.rb
index 5d5797a8c..cb66bb4e2 100644
--- a/lib/logstash/pluginmanager/install.rb
+++ b/lib/logstash/pluginmanager/install.rb
@@ -56,6 +56,10 @@ class LogStash::PluginManager::Install < Clamp::Command
     FileDependencies::Gem.hook
     options = {}
     options[:document] = []
+    if  LogStash::Environment.env == 'test'
+      options[:dev_shallow] = true
+      options[:development] = true
+    end
     inst = Gem::DependencyInstaller.new(options)
     inst.install plugin, version
     specs = inst.installed_gems.detect { |gemspec| gemspec.name == gem_meta.name }