diff --git a/searx/settings_loader.py b/searx/settings_loader.py
index cfdeb4d91..6beab59a1 100644
--- a/searx/settings_loader.py
+++ b/searx/settings_loader.py
@@ -40,6 +40,9 @@ def get_user_settings_path():
         # enviroment variable SEARX_SETTINGS_PATH
         return check_settings_yml(environ['SEARX_SETTINGS_PATH'])
 
+    if environ.get('SEARX_DISABLE_ETC_SETTINGS', '').lower() in ('1', 'true'):
+        return None
+
     # if not, get it from searx code base or last solution from /etc/searx
     return check_settings_yml('/etc/searx/settings.yml')
 
diff --git a/tests/__init__.py b/tests/__init__.py
index 18bf7cad8..cb43fc22a 100644
--- a/tests/__init__.py
+++ b/tests/__init__.py
@@ -1,2 +1,5 @@
 import os
+
 os.environ['SEARX_DEBUG'] = '1'
+os.environ['SEARX_DISABLE_ETC_SETTINGS'] = '1'
+os.environ.pop('SEARX_SETTINGS_PATH', None)