diff --git a/staging/src/k8s.io/apiserver/pkg/cel/lazy/lazy_test.go b/staging/src/k8s.io/apiserver/pkg/cel/lazy/lazy_test.go
index 54f288d8a51..19de8e99144 100644
--- a/staging/src/k8s.io/apiserver/pkg/cel/lazy/lazy_test.go
+++ b/staging/src/k8s.io/apiserver/pkg/cel/lazy/lazy_test.go
@@ -93,6 +93,17 @@ func TestLazyMapType(t *testing.T) {
 	if evalCounter != 1 {
 		t.Errorf("expected eval %d times but got %d", 1, evalCounter)
 	}
+
+	// unused due to boolean short-circuiting
+	// if `variables.unused` is evaluated, the whole test will have a fatal error and exit.
+	exp = "variables.dict.a == 'wrong' && variables.unused == 'unused'"
+	v, err = compileAndRun(env, activation, exp)
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("%q: %v", exp, err)
+	}
+	if v.Value().(bool) != false {
+		t.Errorf("%q: wrong result: %v", exp, v.Value())
+	}
 }
 
 type testActivation struct {