diff --git a/tests/kafkatest/services/streams.py b/tests/kafkatest/services/streams.py
index 9250cd7b94375..f0b17cd8bd45a 100644
--- a/tests/kafkatest/services/streams.py
+++ b/tests/kafkatest/services/streams.py
@@ -118,7 +118,7 @@ def start_cmd(self, node):
 
         cmd = "( export KAFKA_LOG4J_OPTS=\"-Dlog4j.configuration=file:%(log4j)s\"; " \
               "INCLUDE_TEST_JARS=true %(kafka_run_class)s %(streams_class_name)s " \
-              " %(kafka)s %(state_dir)s %(user_test_args)s" \
+              " %(user_test_args)s %(kafka)s %(state_dir)s" \
               " & echo $! >&3 ) 1>> %(stdout)s 2>> %(stderr)s 3> %(pidfile)s" % args
 
         return cmd