diff --git a/go/packages/overlay_test.go b/go/packages/overlay_test.go
index 97193cfd59d..5850a7f41a6 100644
--- a/go/packages/overlay_test.go
+++ b/go/packages/overlay_test.go
@@ -818,8 +818,9 @@ func testInvalidFilesBeforeOverlayContains(t *testing.T, exporter packagestest.E
 				if err != nil {
 					t.Fatal(err)
 				}
-				if len(initial) != 1 {
-					t.Fatalf("expected 1 packages, got %v", len(initial))
+				if len(initial) != 1 &&
+					(len(initial) != 2 || !isTestVariant(initial[0].ID, initial[1].ID)) {
+					t.Fatalf("expected 1 package (perhaps with test variant), got %v", len(initial))
 				}
 				pkg := initial[0]
 				if pkg.ID != tt.wantID {
@@ -849,6 +850,11 @@ func testInvalidFilesBeforeOverlayContains(t *testing.T, exporter packagestest.E
 	}
 }
 
+func isTestVariant(libID, testID string) bool {
+	variantID := fmt.Sprintf("%[1]s [%[1]s.test]", libID)
+	return variantID == testID
+}
+
 func TestInvalidXTestInGOPATH(t *testing.T) {
 	packagestest.TestAll(t, testInvalidXTestInGOPATH)
 }