diff --git a/lib/plugins/define.js b/lib/plugins/define.js
index 9fcfff90..651a4f1c 100644
--- a/lib/plugins/define.js
+++ b/lib/plugins/define.js
@@ -21,9 +21,9 @@ const applyOptionsCallback = require('../utils/apply-options-callback');
  */
 module.exports = function(plugins, webpackConfig) {
     const definePluginOptions = {
-        'process.env': {
-            NODE_ENV: webpackConfig.isProduction() ? '"production"' : '"development"'
-        }
+        'process.env.NODE_ENV': webpackConfig.isProduction()
+            ? '"production"'
+            : '"development"',
     };
 
     plugins.push({
diff --git a/test/config-generator.js b/test/config-generator.js
index 2e38890a..b74bd25a 100644
--- a/test/config-generator.js
+++ b/test/config-generator.js
@@ -225,7 +225,7 @@ describe('The config-generator function', () => {
             const actualConfig = configGenerator(config);
 
             const definePlugin = findPlugin(webpack.DefinePlugin, actualConfig.plugins);
-            expect(definePlugin.definitions['process.env'].NODE_ENV).to.equal('"development"');
+            expect(definePlugin.definitions['process.env.NODE_ENV']).to.equal('"development"');
 
             expect(actualConfig.optimization.minimizer).to.be.undefined;
         });
@@ -241,7 +241,7 @@ describe('The config-generator function', () => {
             const actualConfig = configGenerator(config);
 
             const definePlugin = findPlugin(webpack.DefinePlugin, actualConfig.plugins);
-            expect(definePlugin.definitions['process.env'].NODE_ENV).to.equal('"production"');
+            expect(definePlugin.definitions['process.env.NODE_ENV']).to.equal('"production"');
 
             expect(actualConfig.optimization.minimizer[0]).to.not.be.undefined;
         });
diff --git a/test/plugins/define.js b/test/plugins/define.js
index b4cce11b..65406555 100644
--- a/test/plugins/define.js
+++ b/test/plugins/define.js
@@ -32,7 +32,7 @@ describe('plugins/define', () => {
         definePluginUtil(plugins, config);
         expect(plugins.length).to.equal(1);
         expect(plugins[0].plugin).to.be.instanceof(webpack.DefinePlugin);
-        expect(plugins[0].plugin.definitions['process.env'].NODE_ENV).to.equal(JSON.stringify('development'));
+        expect(plugins[0].plugin.definitions['process.env.NODE_ENV']).to.equal(JSON.stringify('development'));
     });
 
     it('production environment with default settings', () => {
@@ -42,7 +42,7 @@ describe('plugins/define', () => {
         definePluginUtil(plugins, config);
         expect(plugins.length).to.equal(1);
         expect(plugins[0].plugin).to.be.instanceof(webpack.DefinePlugin);
-        expect(plugins[0].plugin.definitions['process.env'].NODE_ENV).to.equal(JSON.stringify('production'));
+        expect(plugins[0].plugin.definitions['process.env.NODE_ENV']).to.equal(JSON.stringify('production'));
     });
 
     it('production environment with options callback', () => {
@@ -51,7 +51,7 @@ describe('plugins/define', () => {
 
         config.configureDefinePlugin((options) => {
             options['foo'] = true;
-            options['process.env'].bar = true;
+            options['process.env.bar'] = true;
         });
 
         definePluginUtil(plugins, config);
@@ -60,10 +60,10 @@ describe('plugins/define', () => {
 
         // Allows to add new definitions
         expect(plugins[0].plugin.definitions.foo).to.equal(true);
-        expect(plugins[0].plugin.definitions['process.env'].bar).to.equal(true);
+        expect(plugins[0].plugin.definitions['process.env.bar']).to.equal(true);
 
         // Doesn't remove default definitions
-        expect(plugins[0].plugin.definitions['process.env'].NODE_ENV).to.equal(JSON.stringify('production'));
+        expect(plugins[0].plugin.definitions['process.env.NODE_ENV']).to.equal(JSON.stringify('production'));
     });
 
     it('production environment with options callback that returns an object', () => {