diff --git a/core/dbt/config/project.py b/core/dbt/config/project.py
index b3b7378dc37..1054c42041d 100644
--- a/core/dbt/config/project.py
+++ b/core/dbt/config/project.py
@@ -199,7 +199,7 @@ def load_raw_project(project_root: str) -> Dict[str, Any]:
     if not isinstance(project_dict, dict):
         raise DbtProjectError(f"{DBT_PROJECT_FILE_NAME} does not parse to a dictionary")
 
-    if "tests" in project_dict:
+    if "tests" in project_dict and "data_tests" not in project_dict:
         project_dict["data_tests"] = project_dict.pop("tests")
 
     return project_dict