diff --git a/changelog.d/5185.misc b/changelog.d/5185.misc
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..d148b03b51
--- /dev/null
+++ b/changelog.d/5185.misc
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+Update tests to consistently be configured via the same code that is used when loading from configuration files.
diff --git a/tests/utils.py b/tests/utils.py
index f21074ae28..f38533a0c7 100644
--- a/tests/utils.py
+++ b/tests/utils.py
@@ -156,7 +156,8 @@ def default_config(name, parse=False):
         "mau_stats_only": False,
         "mau_limits_reserved_threepids": [],
         "admin_contact": None,
-        "rc_message": {"per_second": 10000, "burst_count": 10000},
+        "rc_messages_per_second": 10000,
+        "rc_message_burst_count": 10000,
         "rc_registration": {"per_second": 10000, "burst_count": 10000},
         "rc_login": {
             "address": {"per_second": 10000, "burst_count": 10000},