diff --git a/CHANGELOG.md b/CHANGELOG.md
index 60ab10a..cdcf225 100644
--- a/CHANGELOG.md
+++ b/CHANGELOG.md
@@ -1,5 +1,10 @@
 # w3c/vc-di-ed25519signature2020-test-suite ChangeLog
 
+## 1.1.0 - 2023-12-21
+
+### Added
+- Add a default key seed for test data generation.
+
 ## 1.0.0 - 2023-11-09
 
 ### Added
diff --git a/tests/vc-generator/helpers.js b/tests/vc-generator/helpers.js
index 2fd40f4..4361082 100644
--- a/tests/vc-generator/helpers.js
+++ b/tests/vc-generator/helpers.js
@@ -15,7 +15,10 @@ const didKeyDriver = didKey.driver();
  * @returns {Promise<object>} - Returns the resulting did key driver result.
  */
 export const getDidKey = async ({
-  seedMultiBase = process.env.KEY_SEED_DB
+  seedMultiBase = (
+    process.env.KEY_SEED_DB ||
+    'z1AYMku6XEB5KV3XJbYzz9VejGJYRuqzu5wmq4JDRyUCjr8'
+  )
 } = {}) => {
   // convert multibase seed to Uint8Array
   const seed = decodeSecretKeySeed({secretKeySeed: seedMultiBase});
diff --git a/tests/vc-generator/index.js b/tests/vc-generator/index.js
index 72824ba..635c4c5 100644
--- a/tests/vc-generator/index.js
+++ b/tests/vc-generator/index.js
@@ -19,9 +19,6 @@ const vcCache = new Map();
 
 // this will generate the signed Vcs for the test
 export async function generateTestData() {
-  if(!process.env.KEY_SEED_DB) {
-    throw new Error(`ENV variable KEY_SEED_DB is required.`);
-  }
   const {methodFor} = await getDidKey();
   const key = methodFor({purpose: 'capabilityInvocation'});
   // use copies of the validVc in other tests