diff --git a/spec/google/api_client/batch_spec.rb b/spec/google/api_client/batch_spec.rb
index 762e3b291..7eed46f29 100644
--- a/spec/google/api_client/batch_spec.rb
+++ b/spec/google/api_client/batch_spec.rb
@@ -13,12 +13,11 @@
 # limitations under the License.
 
 require 'spec_helper'
-
 require 'google/api_client'
 require 'google/api_client/version'
 
 describe Google::APIClient::BatchRequest do
-  CLIENT ||= Google::APIClient.new
+  CLIENT = Google::APIClient.new unless defined?(CLIENT)
 
   after do
     # Reset client to not-quite-pristine state