diff --git a/models/unit_tests.go b/models/unit_tests.go
index f7a06bf0ef8..7f8e86fb8fa 100644
--- a/models/unit_tests.go
+++ b/models/unit_tests.go
@@ -32,7 +32,10 @@ func CreateTestEngine(fixturesDir string) error {
 	if err = x.StoreEngine("InnoDB").Sync2(tables...); err != nil {
 		return err
 	}
-	x.ShowSQL(true)
+	switch os.Getenv("GITEA_UNIT_TESTS_VERBOSE") {
+	case "true", "1":
+		x.ShowSQL(true)
+	}
 
 	return InitFixtures(&testfixtures.SQLite{}, fixturesDir)
 }