diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index 6536299b3c..6f310d4444 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -26,6 +26,9 @@ To build just the Native or ARM version, you must access the approriate subproje
 
 The native version of ntcore will run tests on build. The arm version will not, as the current platform likely does not allow running of an ARM binary.
 
+## Testing
+By default, tests will be built for the x86 and x64 versions of ntcore, and will be run during any execution of the `build` or `publish` tasks. To skip building and running the tests, use the `-PwithoutTests` command line flag when running Gradle.
+
 ## Publishing
 To use ntcore in downstream projects as a Maven-style dependency, use the `publish` command. This will publish four artifacts, where platform_name is your current platform (windows, mac, linux):
 
@@ -47,4 +50,4 @@ Most downstream projects that run on the desktop do not depend on the `platform_
 ./gradlew publish -PmakeDesktop
 ```
 
-When you do a publish of ntcore locally, regardless of whether `-PmakeDesktop` is found, the locally built copy will override all references to networktables dependencies from the FRC Maven server. To undo this, you must delete `~/releases/maven/<repo>/edu/wpi/first/wpilib/networktables`.
\ No newline at end of file
+When you do a publish of ntcore locally, regardless of whether `-PmakeDesktop` is found, the locally built copy will override all references to networktables dependencies from the FRC Maven server. To undo this, you must delete `~/releases/maven/<repo>/edu/wpi/first/wpilib/networktables`.
diff --git a/build.gradle b/build.gradle
index 87a5933f5e..811de2a57f 100644
--- a/build.gradle
+++ b/build.gradle
@@ -219,7 +219,9 @@ project(':native') {
         throw new GradleException("ntcore does not support building on ${OperatingSystem.current().getFamilyName()}.")
     }
 
-    apply from: '../test/tests.gradle'
+    if (!project.hasProperty("withoutTests")) {
+        apply from: '../test/tests.gradle'
+    }
 
     if (includeJava) {
         apply from: '../java/java.gradle'