diff --git a/tests/FILEFORMAT b/tests/FILEFORMAT
index fd036a2c9f..4c97db4f83 100644
--- a/tests/FILEFORMAT
+++ b/tests/FILEFORMAT
@@ -228,7 +228,8 @@ command is run. They are cleared again after the command has been run.
 Variables are first substituted as in the <command> section.
 </setenv>
 
-<command [option="no-output"] [timeout="secs"] [delay="secs"] [type="perl"]>
+<command [option="no-output/no-include"] [timeout="secs"] [delay="secs"]
+         [type="perl"]>
 command line to run, there's a bunch of %variables that get replaced
 accordingly.
 
@@ -248,6 +249,9 @@ Set option="no-output" to prevent the test script to slap on the --output
 argument that directs the output to a file. The --output is also not added if
 the verify/stdout section is used.
 
+Set option="no-include" to prevent the test script to slap on the --include
+argument.
+
 Set timeout="secs" to override default server logs advisor read lock timeout.
 This timeout is used by the test harness, once that the command has completed
 execution, to wait for the test server to write out server side log files and
diff --git a/tests/runtests.pl b/tests/runtests.pl
index d6b7d08b68..dadcbbd11f 100755
--- a/tests/runtests.pl
+++ b/tests/runtests.pl
@@ -2825,7 +2825,13 @@ sub singletest {
     elsif(!$tool) {
         # run curl, add --verbose for debug information output
 	$cmd = "-1 ".$cmd if(exists $feature{"SSL"} && ($has_axtls));
-        $cmdargs ="$out --include --verbose --trace-time $cmd";
+
+        my $inc="";
+        if((!$cmdhash{'option'}) || ($cmdhash{'option'} !~ /no-include/)) {
+            $inc = "--include ";
+        }
+
+        $cmdargs ="$out $inc--verbose --trace-time $cmd";
     }
     else {
         $cmdargs = " $cmd"; # $cmd is the command line for the test file