diff --git a/include/cantera/equil/vcs_MultiPhaseEquil.h b/include/cantera/equil/vcs_MultiPhaseEquil.h
index eaab27edd..9e48cc1e7 100644
--- a/include/cantera/equil/vcs_MultiPhaseEquil.h
+++ b/include/cantera/equil/vcs_MultiPhaseEquil.h
@@ -370,6 +370,8 @@ protected:
  * Default is to allow printing. But, you can assign this to zero globally to
  * turn off all time printing. This is helpful for test suite purposes where
  * you are interested in differences in text files.
+ * @deprecated Call `VCS_SOLVE::disable_timing()` instead. To be removed after
+ *     Cantera 2.3.
  */
 extern int vcs_timing_print_lvl;
 
diff --git a/include/cantera/equil/vcs_solve.h b/include/cantera/equil/vcs_solve.h
index 05a288197..d3a014e41 100644
--- a/include/cantera/equil/vcs_solve.h
+++ b/include/cantera/equil/vcs_solve.h
@@ -1866,6 +1866,10 @@ public:
      */
     int m_timing_print_lvl;
 
+    //! Disable printing of timing information. Used to generate consistent
+    //! output for tests.
+    static void disableTiming();
+
     friend class vcs_phaseStabilitySolve;
 };
 
diff --git a/src/equil/vcs_solve.cpp b/src/equil/vcs_solve.cpp
index 2b24af230..6622ff4c4 100644
--- a/src/equil/vcs_solve.cpp
+++ b/src/equil/vcs_solve.cpp
@@ -825,4 +825,8 @@ double VCS_SOLVE::vcs_VolTotal(const double tkelvin, const double pres,
     return VolTot;
 }
 
+void VCS_SOLVE::disableTiming() {
+    vcs_timing_print_lvl = 0;
+}
+
 }
diff --git a/test_problems/VCSnonideal/LatticeSolid_LiSi/latsol.cpp b/test_problems/VCSnonideal/LatticeSolid_LiSi/latsol.cpp
index e575157d2..33c5b3745 100644
--- a/test_problems/VCSnonideal/LatticeSolid_LiSi/latsol.cpp
+++ b/test_problems/VCSnonideal/LatticeSolid_LiSi/latsol.cpp
@@ -12,7 +12,7 @@ using namespace Cantera;
 void testProblem(int printLvl)
 {
     double T = 273.15 + 352.0;
-    vcs_timing_print_lvl = 0;
+    VCS_SOLVE::disableTiming();
 
     // Create the phases
     std::unique_ptr<ThermoPhase> LiSi_solid(newPhase("Li7Si3_ls.xml",
diff --git a/test_problems/VCSnonideal/NaCl_equil/nacl_equil.cpp b/test_problems/VCSnonideal/NaCl_equil/nacl_equil.cpp
index 9e076cb5c..17e276dac 100644
--- a/test_problems/VCSnonideal/NaCl_equil/nacl_equil.cpp
+++ b/test_problems/VCSnonideal/NaCl_equil/nacl_equil.cpp
@@ -33,7 +33,7 @@ int main(int argc, char** argv)
     int numFail = 0;
     int printLvl = 1;
     string inputFile = "HMW_NaCl.xml";
-    vcs_timing_print_lvl = 0;
+    VCS_SOLVE::disableTiming();
 
     /*
      * Process the command line arguments