diff --git a/.testr.conf b/.testr.conf
index 36d60093d..3ab1aaf93 100644
--- a/.testr.conf
+++ b/.testr.conf
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 [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=60 ${PYTHON:-python} -m subunit.run discover -t ./ ./ $LISTOPT $IDOPTION
 test_id_option=--load-list $IDFILE
 test_list_option=--list
 
diff --git a/ironicclient/tests/utils.py b/ironicclient/tests/utils.py
index 3a109e498..2ac90fd01 100644
--- a/ironicclient/tests/utils.py
+++ b/ironicclient/tests/utils.py
@@ -17,8 +17,10 @@
 
 import copy
 import datetime
+import os
 
 import fixtures
+from oslo_utils import strutils
 import six
 import testtools
 
@@ -31,6 +33,15 @@ class BaseTestCase(testtools.TestCase):
         super(BaseTestCase, self).setUp()
         self.useFixture(fixtures.FakeLogger())
 
+        # If enabled, stdout and/or stderr is captured and will appear in
+        # test results if that test fails.
+        if strutils.bool_from_string(os.environ.get('OS_STDOUT_CAPTURE')):
+            stdout = self.useFixture(fixtures.StringStream('stdout')).stream
+            self.useFixture(fixtures.MonkeyPatch('sys.stdout', stdout))
+        if strutils.bool_from_string(os.environ.get('OS_STDERR_CAPTURE')):
+            stderr = self.useFixture(fixtures.StringStream('stderr')).stream
+            self.useFixture(fixtures.MonkeyPatch('sys.stderr', stderr))
+
 
 class FakeAPI(object):
     def __init__(self, responses):