diff --git a/tests/python_package_test/utils.py b/tests/python_package_test/utils.py
index b83fa64d1801..7eae62b14369 100644
--- a/tests/python_package_test/utils.py
+++ b/tests/python_package_test/utils.py
@@ -211,5 +211,5 @@ def np_assert_array_equal(*args, **kwargs):
     This function is here for testing on older Python (and therefore ``numpy``)
     """
     if not _numpy_testing_supports_strict_kwarg:
-        kawrgs.pop("strict")
+        kwargs.pop("strict")
     np.testing.assert_array_equal(*args, **kwargs)