diff --git a/tests/CMakeLists.txt b/tests/CMakeLists.txt
index 0ef6fdbc4c..ae3d054592 100644
--- a/tests/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/tests/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -107,6 +107,10 @@ endif()
 # the risk of a race.
 add_custom_target(test_suite_bignum_generated_data DEPENDS ${bignum_generated_data_files})
 add_custom_target(test_suite_psa_generated_data DEPENDS ${psa_generated_data_files})
+# If SKIP_TEST_SUITES is not defined with -D, get it from the environment.
+if((NOT DEFINED SKIP_TEST_SUITES) AND (DEFINED ENV{SKIP_TEST_SUITES}))
+    set(SKIP_TEST_SUITES $ENV{SKIP_TEST_SUITES})
+endif()
 # Test suites caught by SKIP_TEST_SUITES are built but not executed.
 # "foo" as a skip pattern skips "test_suite_foo" and "test_suite_foo.bar"
 # but not "test_suite_foobar".