diff --git a/.testr.conf b/.testr.conf
index 1641f86e3..80e7ea849 100644
--- a/.testr.conf
+++ b/.testr.conf
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
 [DEFAULT]
-test_command=OS_STDOUT_CAPTURE=1 OS_STDERR_CAPTURE=1 OS_TEST_TIMEOUT=60 ${PYTHON:-python} -m subunit.run discover -t ./ . $LISTOPT $IDOPTION
+test_command=OS_STDOUT_CAPTURE=${OS_STDOUT_CAPTURE:-1} OS_STDERR_CAPTURE=${OS_STDERR_CAPTURE:-1} OS_TEST_TIMEOUT=${OS_TEST_TIMEOUT:-60} ${PYTHON:-python} -m subunit.run discover -t ./ . $LISTOPT $IDOPTION
 test_id_option=--load-list $IDFILE
 test_list_option=--list