diff --git a/src/poetry/vcs/git/backend.py b/src/poetry/vcs/git/backend.py
index 4eba0b37d60..29f38b1c3d8 100644
--- a/src/poetry/vcs/git/backend.py
+++ b/src/poetry/vcs/git/backend.py
@@ -367,7 +367,7 @@ def is_using_legacy_client() -> bool:
         from poetry.config.config import Config
 
         legacy_client: bool = (
-            Config.create().get("experimental", {}).get("system-git-client", False)
+            Config.create().get("experimental.system-git-client", False)
         )
         return legacy_client
 
diff --git a/tests/integration/test_utils_vcs_git.py b/tests/integration/test_utils_vcs_git.py
index 334ae04a268..45c1041bad8 100644
--- a/tests/integration/test_utils_vcs_git.py
+++ b/tests/integration/test_utils_vcs_git.py
@@ -110,6 +110,10 @@ def remote_default_ref(_remote_refs: FetchPackResult) -> bytes:
 def remote_default_branch(remote_default_ref: bytes) -> str:
     return remote_default_ref.decode("utf-8").replace("refs/heads/", "")
 
+def test_use_system_git_client_from_environment_variables():
+    os.environ["POETRY_EXPERIMENTAL_SYSTEM_GIT_CLIENT"] = "true"
+
+    assert(Git.is_using_legacy_client())
 
 def test_git_local_info(
     source_url: str, remote_refs: FetchPackResult, remote_default_ref: bytes