diff --git a/addons/test_mail/tests/test_performance.py b/addons/test_mail/tests/test_performance.py
index bf8d5740e93..3ce8126440b 100644
--- a/addons/test_mail/tests/test_performance.py
+++ b/addons/test_mail/tests/test_performance.py
@@ -143,6 +143,9 @@ class TestAdvMailPerformance(TransactionCase):
             'groups_id': [(6, 0, [self.env.ref('base.group_user').id])],
         })
 
+        # automatically follow activities, for backward compatibility concerning query count
+        self.env.ref('mail.mt_activities').write({'default': True})
+
     @users('admin', 'emp')
     @warmup
     def test_adv_activity(self):