diff --git a/doc/fate.texi b/doc/fate.texi
index bc6ab3ecb5..f076acdc05 100644
--- a/doc/fate.texi
+++ b/doc/fate.texi
@@ -120,6 +120,7 @@ samples=/path/to/fate/samples
 workdir=                                # directory in which to do all the work
 fate_recv="ssh -T fate@@fate.libav.org"  # command to submit report
 comment=                                # optional description
+build_only=     # set to "yes" for a compile-only instance that skips tests
 
 # the following are optional and map to configure options
 arch=
diff --git a/tests/fate.sh b/tests/fate.sh
index 86e4178c50..d2bc17881f 100755
--- a/tests/fate.sh
+++ b/tests/fate.sh
@@ -66,6 +66,7 @@ compile()(
 )
 
 fate()(
+    test "$build_only" = "yes" && return
     cd ${build} || return
     ${make} ${makeopts} -k fate
 )