diff --git a/SConstruct b/SConstruct
index 433302746..f9f91dcbe 100644
--- a/SConstruct
+++ b/SConstruct
@@ -590,6 +590,11 @@ config_options = [
         'VERBOSE',
         """Create verbose output about what SCons is doing.""",
         False),
+    (
+        'gtest_flags',
+        """Additional options passed to each GTest test suite, e.g.
+           '--gtest_filter=*pattern*'. Separate multiple options with spaces.""",
+        ''),
     BoolVariable(
         'renamed_shared_libraries',
         """If this option is turned on, the shared libraries that are created
diff --git a/doc/sphinx/compiling/config-options.rst b/doc/sphinx/compiling/config-options.rst
index 9f88895ae..85df4958a 100644
--- a/doc/sphinx/compiling/config-options.rst
+++ b/doc/sphinx/compiling/config-options.rst
@@ -487,6 +487,12 @@ Options List
 
     - default: ``'no'``
 
+.. _gtest-flags:
+
+* ``gtest_flags``: [ ``string`` ]
+    Additional options passed to each GTest test suite, e.g.
+    `--gtest_filter=*pattern*`. Separate multiple options with spaces.
+
 .. _renamed-shared-libraries:
 
 * ``renamed_shared_libraries``: [ ``yes`` | ``no`` ]
diff --git a/doc/sphinx/compiling/configure-build.rst b/doc/sphinx/compiling/configure-build.rst
index d5b17dea0..6aad50de7 100644
--- a/doc/sphinx/compiling/configure-build.rst
+++ b/doc/sphinx/compiling/configure-build.rst
@@ -146,6 +146,7 @@ Less Common Options
 * :ref:`env_vars <env-vars>`
 * :ref:`layout <layout>`
 * :ref:`VERBOSE <VERBOSE>`
+* :ref:`gtest_flags <gtest-flags>`
 
 .. _sec-build-commands:
 
diff --git a/test/SConscript b/test/SConscript
index 6b073ba15..fb275e572 100644
--- a/test/SConscript
+++ b/test/SConscript
@@ -50,8 +50,9 @@ def addTestProgram(subdir, progName, env_vars={}):
 
         if not os.path.isdir(workDir):
             os.mkdir(workDir)
-        code = subprocess.call([program.abspath, '--gtest_output=xml:'+resultsFile],
-                               env=env['ENV'], cwd=workDir)
+        cmd = [program.abspath, '--gtest_output=xml:'+resultsFile]
+        cmd.extend(env['gtest_flags'].split())
+        code = subprocess.call(cmd, env=env['ENV'], cwd=workDir)
 
         if code:
             print "FAILED: Test '{0}' exited with code {1}".format(progName, code)