diff --git a/.travis.sh b/.travis.sh
index 3cec20f53..1d71f263b 100755
--- a/.travis.sh
+++ b/.travis.sh
@@ -47,6 +47,7 @@ function build ()
       -DCMAKE_BUILD_TYPE=$CMAKE_BUILD_TYPE \
       -DGTSAM_BUILD_TESTS=OFF \
       -DGTSAM_BUILD_UNSTABLE=$GTSAM_BUILD_UNSTABLE \
+      -DGTSAM_USE_QUATERNIONS=$GTSAM_USE_QUATERNIONS \
       -DGTSAM_BUILD_EXAMPLES_ALWAYS=ON \
       -DGTSAM_ALLOW_DEPRECATED_SINCE_V4=$GTSAM_ALLOW_DEPRECATED_SINCE_V4
 
@@ -65,6 +66,7 @@ function test ()
       -DCMAKE_BUILD_TYPE=$CMAKE_BUILD_TYPE \
       -DGTSAM_BUILD_TESTS=ON \
       -DGTSAM_BUILD_UNSTABLE=$GTSAM_BUILD_UNSTABLE \
+      -DGTSAM_USE_QUATERNIONS=$GTSAM_USE_QUATERNIONS \
       -DGTSAM_BUILD_EXAMPLES_ALWAYS=OFF \
       -DGTSAM_ALLOW_DEPRECATED_SINCE_V4=OFF
 
diff --git a/.travis.yml b/.travis.yml
index d7863cfdd..50553e081 100644
--- a/.travis.yml
+++ b/.travis.yml
@@ -101,6 +101,7 @@ env:
     - MAKEFLAGS="-j2"
     - CCACHE_SLOPPINESS=pch_defines,time_macros
     - GTSAM_ALLOW_DEPRECATED_SINCE_V4=OFF
+    - GTSAM_USE_QUATERNIONS=OFF
     - GTSAM_BUILD_UNSTABLE=ON
   matrix:
     - CMAKE_BUILD_TYPE=Debug GTSAM_BUILD_UNSTABLE=OFF