diff --git a/devstack-vm-gate-wrap.sh b/devstack-vm-gate-wrap.sh
index c57de26c..769983eb 100755
--- a/devstack-vm-gate-wrap.sh
+++ b/devstack-vm-gate-wrap.sh
@@ -465,6 +465,9 @@ export DEVSTACK_GATE_TEMPEST_HEAT_SLOW=${DEVSTACK_GATE_TEMPEST_HEAT_SLOW:-0}
 # Set to 1 to run tempest large ops test
 export DEVSTACK_GATE_TEMPEST_LARGE_OPS=${DEVSTACK_GATE_TEMPEST_LARGE_OPS:-0}
 
+# Set to 1 to run tempest smoke tests serially
+export DEVSTACK_GATE_SMOKE_SERIAL=${DEVSTACK_GATE_SMOKE_SERIAL:-0}
+
 # Set to 1 to explicitly enable tempest tenant isolation. Otherwise tenant isolation setting
 # for tempest will be the one chosen by devstack.
 export DEVSTACK_GATE_TEMPEST_ALLOW_TENANT_ISOLATION=${DEVSTACK_GATE_TEMPEST_ALLOW_TENANT_ISOLATION:-0}
diff --git a/devstack-vm-gate.sh b/devstack-vm-gate.sh
index 1ca441e4..37495e79 100755
--- a/devstack-vm-gate.sh
+++ b/devstack-vm-gate.sh
@@ -296,6 +296,10 @@ if [ "$DEVSTACK_GATE_TEMPEST" -eq "1" ]; then
         echo "Running large ops tests"
         sudo -H -u tempest tox -elarge-ops
         res=$?
+    elif [[ "$DEVSTACK_GATE_SMOKE_SERIAL" -eq "1" ]] ; then
+        echo "Running tempest smoke tests"
+        sudo -H -u tempest tox -esmoke-serial
+        res=$?
     else
         echo "Running tempest smoke tests"
         sudo -H -u tempest tox -esmoke