diff --git a/test/test_core.py b/test/test_core.py
index 056573439f0a959977b284ab9cd28d74e455a41e..20c592b6af683704fdfcd76da01c4e182ad0c2c9 100644
--- a/test/test_core.py
+++ b/test/test_core.py
@@ -80,7 +80,7 @@ def test_missingVariable(flagger):
         data)
 
     pdata, pflags = runner(meta, flagger, data)
-    assert (data.columns == [var]).all()
+    assert (pdata.columns == [var]).all()
 
 
 @pytest.mark.parametrize("flagger", TESTFLAGGERS)