diff --git a/.travis.yml b/.travis.yml
index 3d4b29b..e819aad 100644
--- a/.travis.yml
+++ b/.travis.yml
@@ -24,3 +24,6 @@ branches:
 notifications:
   email:
     - ci@sailsjs.com
+
+env:
+  - NODE_ENV=production
diff --git a/package.json b/package.json
index e6458ca..79f3914 100644
--- a/package.json
+++ b/package.json
@@ -6,7 +6,7 @@
   "scripts": {
     "custom-tests": "node ./node_modules/mocha/bin/mocha test/*.test.js",
     "lint": "node ./node_modules/eslint/bin/eslint . --max-warnings=0 --ignore-pattern 'test/' && echo '✔  Your code looks good.'",
-    "bench": "NODE_ENV=production node ./node_modules/mocha/bin/mocha test/*.benchmark.js",
+    "bench": "node ./node_modules/mocha/bin/mocha test/*.benchmark.js",
     "test": "npm run lint && npm run custom-tests && npm run bench"
   },
   "repository": {
diff --git a/test/baseline.benchmark.js b/test/baseline.benchmark.js
index 043fc8a..2210d4f 100644
--- a/test/baseline.benchmark.js
+++ b/test/baseline.benchmark.js
@@ -6,6 +6,9 @@ var parley = require('../');
 var benchSync = require('./utils/bench-sync.util');
 var bench = require('./utils/bench.util');
 
+if (process.env.NODE_ENV !== 'production') {
+  throw new Error('Benchmarks should be run with NODE_ENV=production!');
+}
 
 
 /**