diff --git a/src/subscription_manager/repofile.py b/src/subscription_manager/repofile.py
index 99d67cdc9c..fa97709de8 100644
--- a/src/subscription_manager/repofile.py
+++ b/src/subscription_manager/repofile.py
@@ -25,6 +25,7 @@
 import os
 import re
 import string
+import sys
 
 try:
     from debian.deb822 import Deb822
@@ -48,6 +49,9 @@
 
 repo_files = []
 
+# detect if running with yum, otherwise it's dnf
+HAS_YUM = "yum" in sys.modules
+
 
 class Repo(dict):
     # (name, mutable, default) - The mutability information is only used in disconnected cases
@@ -124,7 +128,7 @@ def from_ent_cert_content(cls, content, baseurl, ca_cert, release_source):
         # Extract the variables from the url
         repo_parts = repo['baseurl'].split("/")
         repoid_vars = [part[1:] for part in repo_parts if part.startswith("$")]
-        if repoid_vars:
+        if HAS_YUM and repoid_vars:
             repo['ui_repoid_vars'] = " ".join(repoid_vars)
 
         # If no GPG key URL is specified, turn gpgcheck off:
diff --git a/test/test_repolib.py b/test/test_repolib.py
index eb1b978991..0c62d37a9e 100644
--- a/test/test_repolib.py
+++ b/test/test_repolib.py
@@ -46,6 +46,10 @@
 from subscription_manager.entcertlib import CONTENT_ACCESS_CERT_TYPE
 
 
+# always pretend to run tests with yum in order to have 'ui_repoid_vars' available
+repofile.HAS_YUM = True
+
+
 class ConfigFromString(config.Config):
     def __init__(self, config_string):
         parser = RhsmConfigParserFromString(config_string)