diff --git a/run_tests.sh b/run_tests.sh
index aae9e8921..89d113025 100755
--- a/run_tests.sh
+++ b/run_tests.sh
@@ -14,6 +14,7 @@
 # under the License.
 
 export SCENARIO=${SCENARIO:-scenario001}
+export MANAGE_PUPPET_MODULES=${MANAGE_PUPPET_MODULES:-true}
 export MANAGE_REPOS=${MANAGE_REPOS:-true}
 export PUPPET_ARGS=${PUPPET_ARGS:-}
 export SCRIPT_DIR=$(cd `dirname $0` && pwd -P)
@@ -62,7 +63,9 @@ elif is_fedora; then
     $SUDO yum install -y dstat puppet
 fi
 
-$SUDO ./install_modules.sh
+if [ "${MANAGE_PUPPET_MODULES}" = true ]; then
+    $SUDO ./install_modules.sh
+fi
 
 # use dstat to monitor system activity during integration testing
 if type "dstat" 2>/dev/null; then