diff --git a/roles/test-setup/README.rst b/roles/test-setup/README.rst
index 8e8fc58f3..adcda6964 100644
--- a/roles/test-setup/README.rst
+++ b/roles/test-setup/README.rst
@@ -20,6 +20,12 @@ automated testing system and developers.
    String of optional command line options passed to
    the test-setup script.
 
+.. zuul:rolevar:: test_setup_skip
+   :default: false
+
+   Set this to true to skip running the test-setup script even if it
+   exists.
+
 .. zuul:rolevar:: zuul_work_dir
    :default: {{ zuul.project.src_dir }}
 
diff --git a/roles/test-setup/defaults/main.yaml b/roles/test-setup/defaults/main.yaml
index 71630b024..b66f78731 100644
--- a/roles/test-setup/defaults/main.yaml
+++ b/roles/test-setup/defaults/main.yaml
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 ---
 test_setup_args: ""
 test_setup_environment: {}
+test_setup_skip: false
 
 zuul_work_dir: "src/{{ zuul.project.canonical_name }}"
-
diff --git a/roles/test-setup/tasks/main.yaml b/roles/test-setup/tasks/main.yaml
index 4977dfe60..85fc0e92e 100644
--- a/roles/test-setup/tasks/main.yaml
+++ b/roles/test-setup/tasks/main.yaml
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-- name: Check if project's tools/test-setup.sh exists
+- name: "Check if project's tools/test-setup.sh exists"
   stat:
     path: "{{ zuul_work_dir }}/tools/test-setup.sh"
   register: p
@@ -11,3 +11,4 @@
   when:
     - p.stat.exists
     - p.stat.executable
+    - not test_setup_skip