diff --git a/idea/jvm-debugger/jvm-debugger-test/test/org/jetbrains/kotlin/idea/debugger/test/DebuggerTestCompilerFacility.kt b/idea/jvm-debugger/jvm-debugger-test/test/org/jetbrains/kotlin/idea/debugger/test/DebuggerTestCompilerFacility.kt
index d090288a18e..9fccf70d548 100644
--- a/idea/jvm-debugger/jvm-debugger-test/test/org/jetbrains/kotlin/idea/debugger/test/DebuggerTestCompilerFacility.kt
+++ b/idea/jvm-debugger/jvm-debugger-test/test/org/jetbrains/kotlin/idea/debugger/test/DebuggerTestCompilerFacility.kt
@@ -92,8 +92,8 @@ class DebuggerTestCompilerFacility(
 
         val options = mutableListOf("-jvm-target", jvmTarget.description)
 
-        if (useIrBackend) {
-            options.add("-Xuse-ir")
+        if (!useIrBackend) {
+            options.add("-Xuse-old-backend")
         }
 
         if (kotlin.isNotEmpty()) {