diff --git a/src/Core/Environment.php b/src/Core/Environment.php
index 6d5f1f34b..27d28c65a 100644
--- a/src/Core/Environment.php
+++ b/src/Core/Environment.php
@@ -43,7 +43,13 @@ class Environment
     public static function getVariables()
     {
         // Suppress return by-ref
-        return array_merge($GLOBALS, [ 'env' => static::$env ]);
+        $vars = [ 'env' => static::$env ];
+        // needs to use a for loop, using `array_merge([], $GLOBALS);` left reference traces somehow
+        foreach ($GLOBALS as $varName => $varValue) {
+            $vars[$varName] = $varValue;
+        }
+
+        return $vars;
     }
 
     /**
diff --git a/tests/bootstrap/init.php b/tests/bootstrap/init.php
index 8f31ca384..0eefed991 100644
--- a/tests/bootstrap/init.php
+++ b/tests/bootstrap/init.php
@@ -14,8 +14,8 @@ if (!defined('BASE_PATH')) {
 ini_set('display_errors', 1);
 
 // Asset folder
-if (!file_exists(BASE_PATH . '/assets')) {
-    mkdir(BASE_PATH . '/assets', 02775);
+if (!file_exists(ASSETS_PATH)) {
+    mkdir(ASSETS_PATH, 02775);
 }
 
 if (empty($_SERVER['HTTP_HOST'])) {
diff --git a/tests/php/Core/EnvironmentTest.php b/tests/php/Core/EnvironmentTest.php
index 220f47b58..ccd31e83e 100644
--- a/tests/php/Core/EnvironmentTest.php
+++ b/tests/php/Core/EnvironmentTest.php
@@ -53,4 +53,17 @@ class EnvironmentTest extends SapphireTest
         Environment::setVariables($vars);
         $this->assertEquals('initial', Environment::getEnv('_ENVTEST_RESTORED'));
     }
+
+    public function testGetVariables()
+    {
+        $GLOBALS['test'] = 'global';
+        $vars = Environment::getVariables();
+        $this->assertArrayHasKey('test', $vars);
+        $this->assertEquals('global', $vars['test']);
+        $this->assertEquals('global', $GLOBALS['test']);
+
+        $vars['test'] = 'fail';
+        $this->assertEquals('fail', $vars['test']);
+        $this->assertEquals('global', $GLOBALS['test']);
+    }
 }