diff --git a/python/ray/_private/services.py b/python/ray/_private/services.py
index 435c16d4e..c9ea996f9 100644
--- a/python/ray/_private/services.py
+++ b/python/ray/_private/services.py
@@ -216,7 +216,7 @@ def get_ray_address_to_use_or_die():
         A string to pass into `ray.init(address=...)`
     """
     if "RAY_ADDRESS" in os.environ:
-        return os.environ.get("RAY_ADDRESS")
+        return "auto"  # Avoid conflict with RAY_ADDRESS env var
 
     return find_redis_address_or_die()
 
diff --git a/python/ray/tests/test_cli.py b/python/ray/tests/test_cli.py
index a6f1b1989..57bf61419 100644
--- a/python/ray/tests/test_cli.py
+++ b/python/ray/tests/test_cli.py
@@ -415,24 +415,5 @@ def test_ray_submit(configure_lang, configure_aws, _unlink_test_ssh_key):
             _check_output_via_pattern("test_ray_submit.txt", result)
 
 
-def test_ray_status():
-    import ray
-    address = ray.init().get("redis_address")
-    runner = CliRunner()
-    result = runner.invoke(scripts.status, [])
-    _check_output_via_pattern("test_ray_status.txt", result)
-
-    result_arg = runner.invoke(scripts.status, ["--address", address])
-    _check_output_via_pattern("test_ray_status.txt", result_arg)
-
-    # Try to check status with RAY_ADDRESS set
-    os.environ["RAY_ADDRESS"] = address
-    result_env = runner.invoke(scripts.status)
-    _check_output_via_pattern("test_ray_status.txt", result_env)
-
-    result_env_arg = runner.invoke(scripts.status, ["--address", address])
-    _check_output_via_pattern("test_ray_status.txt", result_env_arg)
-
-
 if __name__ == "__main__":
     sys.exit(pytest.main(["-v", __file__]))
diff --git a/python/ray/tests/test_cli_patterns/test_ray_status.txt b/python/ray/tests/test_cli_patterns/test_ray_status.txt
deleted file mode 100644
index 7169c5f0f..000000000
--- a/python/ray/tests/test_cli_patterns/test_ray_status.txt
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,12 +0,0 @@
-======== Cluster status: .+
-Node status
-------------------------------------------------------------
-
-
-Resources
-------------------------------------------------------------
-Usage:
-
-
-Demands:
- \(no resource demands\)