diff --git a/src/test/ssl/t/001_ssltests.pl b/src/test/ssl/t/001_ssltests.pl
index 2b875a3c95..6d267f994e 100644
--- a/src/test/ssl/t/001_ssltests.pl
+++ b/src/test/ssl/t/001_ssltests.pl
@@ -43,6 +43,10 @@ chmod 0644, "ssl/client_wrongperms_tmp.key";
 note "setting up data directory";
 my $node = get_new_node('master');
 $node->init;
+#### ##### restrict cipher suites
+$node->append_conf("postgresql.conf", <<'EOF');
+ssl_ciphers = 'HIGH:MEDIUM:+3DES:!aNULL@SECLEVEL=2' # allowed SSL ciphers
+EOF
 
 # PGHOST is enforced here to set up the node, subsequent connections
 # will use a dedicated connection string.