diff --git a/src/App/Application.cpp b/src/App/Application.cpp
index 61291c85bd..f184029e5e 100644
--- a/src/App/Application.cpp
+++ b/src/App/Application.cpp
@@ -2217,6 +2217,7 @@ void parseProgramOptions(int ac, char ** av, const string& exe, variables_map& v
     ("user-cfg,u", value<string>(),"User config file to load/save user settings")
     ("system-cfg,s", value<string>(),"System config file to load/save system settings")
     ("run-test,t", value<string>()->implicit_value(""),"Run a given test case (use 0 (zero) to run all tests). If no argument is provided then return list of all available tests.")
+    ("run-open,r", value<string>()->implicit_value(""),"Run a given test case (use 0 (zero) to run all tests). If no argument is provided then return list of all available tests.  Keeps UI open after test(s) complete.")
     ("module-path,M", value< vector<string> >()->composing(),"Additional module paths")
     ("python-path,P", value< vector<string> >()->composing(),"Additional python paths")
     ("single-instance", "Allow to run a single instance of the application")
@@ -2441,8 +2442,9 @@ void processProgramOptions(const variables_map& vm, std::map<std::string,std::st
         mConfig["SystemParameter"] = vm["system-cfg"].as<string>();
     }
 
-    if (vm.count("run-test")) {
-        string testCase = vm["run-test"].as<string>();
+    if (vm.count("run-test") || vm.count("run-open")) {
+        string testCase = vm.count("run-open") ? vm["run-open"].as<string>() : vm["run-test"].as<string>();
+
         if ( "0" == testCase) {
             testCase = "TestApp.All";
         }
@@ -2452,6 +2454,7 @@ void processProgramOptions(const variables_map& vm, std::map<std::string,std::st
         mConfig["TestCase"] = testCase;
         mConfig["RunMode"] = "Internal";
         mConfig["ScriptFileName"] = "FreeCADTest";
+        mConfig["ExitTests"] = vm.count("run-open") == 0  ? "yes" : "no";
     }
 
     if (vm.count("single-instance")) {
diff --git a/src/Gui/MainWindow.cpp b/src/Gui/MainWindow.cpp
index a727e645c5..e4b7d959f0 100644
--- a/src/Gui/MainWindow.cpp
+++ b/src/Gui/MainWindow.cpp
@@ -1584,7 +1584,7 @@ void MainWindow::delayedStartup()
     if (App::Application::Config()["RunMode"] == "Internal") {
         QTimer::singleShot(1000, this, []{
             try {
-                Base::Interpreter().runString(
+                    string command =
                     "import sys\n"
                     "import FreeCAD\n"
                     "import QtUnitGui\n\n"
@@ -1592,8 +1592,11 @@ void MainWindow::delayedStartup()
                     "QtUnitGui.addTest(testCase)\n"
                     "QtUnitGui.setTest(testCase)\n"
                     "result = QtUnitGui.runTest()\n"
-                    "sys.stdout.flush()\n"
-                    "sys.exit(0 if result else 1)");
+                    "sys.stdout.flush()\n";
+                    if (App::Application::Config()["ExitTests"] == "yes") {
+                        command += "sys.exit(0 if result else 1)";
+                    }
+                    Base::Interpreter().runString(command.c_str());
             }
             catch (const Base::SystemExitException&) {
                 throw;