diff --git a/devstack-vm-gate-wrap.sh b/devstack-vm-gate-wrap.sh
index 2b4f537f..38a5a022 100755
--- a/devstack-vm-gate-wrap.sh
+++ b/devstack-vm-gate-wrap.sh
@@ -143,9 +143,14 @@ mkdir -p $WORKSPACE/logs
 # The feature matrix to select devstack-gate components
 export DEVSTACK_GATE_FEATURE_MATRIX=${DEVSTACK_GATE_FEATURE_MATRIX:-features.yaml}
 
-# Set to 1 to run the Tempest test suite
+# Set to 1 to install, configure and enable the Tempest test suite; more flags may be
+# required to be set to customize the test run, e.g. DEVSTACK_GATE_TEMPEST_STRESS=1
 export DEVSTACK_GATE_TEMPEST=${DEVSTACK_GATE_TEMPEST:-0}
 
+# Set to 1, in conjunction with DEVSTACK_GATE_TEMPEST, will allow Tempest to be
+# installed and configured, but the tests will be skipped
+export DEVSTACK_GATE_TEMPEST_NOTESTS=${DEVSTACK_GATE_TEMPEST_NOTESTS:-0}
+
 # Set to 1 to run the devstack exercises
 export DEVSTACK_GATE_EXERCISES=${DEVSTACK_GATE_EXERCISES:-0}
 
diff --git a/devstack-vm-gate.sh b/devstack-vm-gate.sh
index 3e4ce2ca..2cf377a8 100755
--- a/devstack-vm-gate.sh
+++ b/devstack-vm-gate.sh
@@ -536,6 +536,11 @@ if [[ "$DEVSTACK_GATE_TEMPEST" -eq "1" ]]; then
         sudo chmod -R o+rx /opt/stack/new/devstack/files
     fi
 
+    # if set, we don't need to run Tempest at all
+    if [[ "$DEVSTACK_GATE_TEMPEST_NOTESTS" -eq "1" ]]; then
+        exit 0
+    fi
+
     # From here until the end we rely on the fact that all the code fails if
     # something is wrong, to enforce exit on bad test results.
     set -o errexit