diff --git a/.ci/jobs/defaults.yml b/.ci/jobs/defaults.yml
index df6c5a71c..1cddafc36 100644
--- a/.ci/jobs/defaults.yml
+++ b/.ci/jobs/defaults.yml
@@ -42,7 +42,7 @@
     - axis:
         type: yaml
         filename: .ci/test-matrix.yml
-        name: ELASTICSEARCH_VERSION
+        name: STACK_VERSION
     - axis:
         type: yaml
         filename: .ci/test-matrix.yml
diff --git a/.ci/run-tests b/.ci/run-tests
index 4426ad9c1..5b5b65646 100755
--- a/.ci/run-tests
+++ b/.ci/run-tests
@@ -13,6 +13,8 @@
 
 set -eo pipefail
 
+ELASTICSEARCH_VERSION=${STACK_VERSION}
+
 docker build \
   --file .ci/Dockerfile \
   --tag elastic/elasticsearch-js \
diff --git a/.ci/test-matrix.yml b/.ci/test-matrix.yml
index 9575e0538..445d4c5e2 100644
--- a/.ci/test-matrix.yml
+++ b/.ci/test-matrix.yml
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 ---
-ELASTICSEARCH_VERSION:
+STACK_VERSION:
   - 5.6.16
 
 NODE_JS_VERSION: