diff --git a/doc/testament.md b/doc/testament.md
index ee57be4f15..08c3cd8353 100644
--- a/doc/testament.md
+++ b/doc/testament.md
@@ -50,6 +50,7 @@ Options
 --colors:on|off           Turn messages coloring on|off.
 --backendLogging:on|off   Disable or enable backend logging. By default turned on.
 --megatest:on|off         Enable or disable megatest. Default is on.
+--valgrind:on|off         Enable or disable valgrind support. Default is on.
 --skipFrom:file           Read tests to skip from `file` - one test per line, # comments ignored
 
 
diff --git a/testament/testament.nim b/testament/testament.nim
index ac99a2373a..296c313aa3 100644
--- a/testament/testament.nim
+++ b/testament/testament.nim
@@ -29,6 +29,7 @@ var backendLogging = true
 var simulate = false
 var optVerbose = false
 var useMegatest = true
+var valgrindEnabled = true
 
 proc verboseCmd(cmd: string) =
   if optVerbose:
@@ -60,6 +61,7 @@ Options:
   --colors:on|off           Turn messages coloring on|off.
   --backendLogging:on|off   Disable or enable backend logging. By default turned on.
   --megatest:on|off         Enable or disable megatest. Default is on.
+  --valgrind:on|off         Enable or disable valgrind support. Default is on.
   --skipFrom:file           Read tests to skip from `file` - one test per line, # comments ignored
 
 On Azure Pipelines, testament will also publish test results via Azure Pipelines' Test Management API
@@ -487,7 +489,7 @@ proc testSpecHelper(r: var TResults, test: var TTest, expected: TSpec,
             args = @["--unhandled-rejections=strict", exeFile] & args
           else:
             exeCmd = exeFile.dup(normalizeExe)
-            if expected.useValgrind != disabled:
+            if valgrindEnabled and expected.useValgrind != disabled:
               var valgrindOptions = @["--error-exitcode=1"]
               if expected.useValgrind != leaking:
                 valgrindOptions.add "--leak-check=yes"
@@ -664,6 +666,14 @@ proc main() =
         useMegatest = false
       else:
         quit Usage
+    of "valgrind":
+      case p.val:
+      of "on":
+        valgrindEnabled = true
+      of "off":
+        valgrindEnabled = false
+      else:
+        quit Usage
     of "backendlogging":
       case p.val:
       of "on":