diff --git a/.travis.yml b/.travis.yml
index d47b60884..6a651295a 100644
--- a/.travis.yml
+++ b/.travis.yml
@@ -74,20 +74,30 @@ matrix:
       os: linux
       dist: xenial
       script:
-        - sudo modprobe fuse
-        - sudo chmod 666 /dev/fuse
-        - sudo chown root:$USER /etc/fuse.conf
-        - go run build/ci.go install
-        - go run build/ci.go test -coverage $TEST_PACKAGES
+        - |
+          sudo modprobe fuse
+          sudo chmod 666 /dev/fuse
+          sudo chown root:$USER /etc/fuse.conf
+          go run build/ci.go install
+          if [ "$TRAVIS_PULL_REQUEST" != "false" ]; then
+            QUORUM_IGNORE_TEST_PACKAGES=github.com/ethereum/go-ethereum/swarm go run build/ci.go test -coverage $TEST_PACKAGES
+          else
+            go run build/ci.go test -coverage $TEST_PACKAGES
+          fi
     - if: tag IS blank
       os: osx
       osx_image: xcode9.2 # so we don't have to deal with Kernel Extension Consent UI which is never possible in CI
       script:
-        - brew update
-        - brew install caskroom/cask/brew-cask
-        - brew cask install osxfuse
-        - go run build/ci.go install
-        - go run build/ci.go test -coverage $TEST_PACKAGES
+        - |
+          brew update
+          brew install caskroom/cask/brew-cask
+          brew cask install osxfuse
+          go run build/ci.go install
+          if [ "$TRAVIS_PULL_REQUEST" != "false" ]; then
+            QUORUM_IGNORE_TEST_PACKAGES=github.com/ethereum/go-ethereum/swarm go run build/ci.go test -coverage $TEST_PACKAGES
+          else
+            go run build/ci.go test -coverage $TEST_PACKAGES
+          fi
 
     - if: tag IS present
       os: linux
diff --git a/build/ci.go b/build/ci.go
index 1bbc94471..99550926f 100644
--- a/build/ci.go
+++ b/build/ci.go
@@ -329,6 +329,7 @@ func doTest(cmdline []string) {
 		packages = flag.CommandLine.Args()
 	}
 	packages = build.ExpandPackagesNoVendor(packages)
+	packages = build.IgnorePackages(packages)
 
 	// Run the actual tests.
 	// Test a single package at a time. CI builders are slow
diff --git a/internal/build/util.go b/internal/build/util.go
index 195bdb404..8f1b48f46 100644
--- a/internal/build/util.go
+++ b/internal/build/util.go
@@ -177,3 +177,27 @@ func ExpandPackagesNoVendor(patterns []string) []string {
 	}
 	return patterns
 }
+
+// Read QUORUM_IGNORE_TEST_PACKAGES env and remove from packages
+func IgnorePackages(packages []string) []string {
+	ignore := os.Getenv("QUORUM_IGNORE_TEST_PACKAGES")
+	if ignore == "" {
+		return packages
+	}
+	ret := make([]string, 0, len(packages))
+	ignorePackages := strings.Split(ignore, ",")
+
+	for _, p := range packages {
+		mustInclude := true
+		for _, ig := range ignorePackages {
+			if strings.Index(p, strings.TrimSpace(ig)) == 0 {
+				mustInclude = false
+				break
+			}
+		}
+		if mustInclude {
+			ret = append(ret, p)
+		}
+	}
+	return ret
+}
diff --git a/internal/build/util_test.go b/internal/build/util_test.go
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..03094a549
--- /dev/null
+++ b/internal/build/util_test.go
@@ -0,0 +1,40 @@
+package build
+
+import (
+	"os"
+	"testing"
+
+	testifyassert "github.com/stretchr/testify/assert"
+)
+
+func TestIgnorePackages_whenTypical(t *testing.T) {
+	assert := testifyassert.New(t)
+
+	arbitraryPackages := []string{"abc", "xyz/abc"}
+
+	actual := IgnorePackages(arbitraryPackages)
+
+	assert.Equal(arbitraryPackages, actual)
+}
+
+func TestIgnorePackages_whenIgnoreOnePackage(t *testing.T) {
+	assert := testifyassert.New(t)
+
+	arbitraryPackages := []string{"abc", "xyz/abc"}
+	assert.NoError(os.Setenv("QUORUM_IGNORE_TEST_PACKAGES", "abc"))
+
+	actual := IgnorePackages(arbitraryPackages)
+
+	assert.Equal([]string{arbitraryPackages[1]}, actual)
+}
+
+func TestIgnorePackages_whenIgnorePackages(t *testing.T) {
+	assert := testifyassert.New(t)
+
+	arbitraryPackages := []string{"abc", "xyz/abc/opq"}
+	assert.NoError(os.Setenv("QUORUM_IGNORE_TEST_PACKAGES", "abc, xyz/abc"))
+
+	actual := IgnorePackages(arbitraryPackages)
+
+	assert.Len(actual, 0)
+}