diff --git a/lib/testers/rule-tester.js b/lib/testers/rule-tester.js
index acd3bee7c38..9ffad975f2a 100644
--- a/lib/testers/rule-tester.js
+++ b/lib/testers/rule-tester.js
@@ -159,7 +159,8 @@ class RuleTester {
 
             // we have to clone because merge uses the first argument for recipient
             lodash.cloneDeep(defaultConfig),
-            testerConfig
+            testerConfig,
+            { rules: { "rule-tester/validate-ast": "error" } }
         );
 
         /**
@@ -333,13 +334,14 @@ class RuleTester {
              */
             linter.reset();
 
-            linter.on("Program", node => {
-                beforeAST = cloneDeeplyExcludesParent(node);
-            });
-
-            linter.on("Program:exit", node => {
-                afterAST = node;
-            });
+            linter.defineRule("rule-tester/validate-ast", () => ({
+                Program(node) {
+                    beforeAST = cloneDeeplyExcludesParent(node);
+                },
+                "Program:exit"(node) {
+                    afterAST = node;
+                }
+            }));
 
             // Freezes rule-context properties.
             const originalGet = linter.rules.get;