diff --git a/build-coatjava.sh b/build-coatjava.sh
index be368ab0d7..dcb6bdf617 100755
--- a/build-coatjava.sh
+++ b/build-coatjava.sh
@@ -318,9 +318,9 @@ cp external-dependencies/jclara-4.3-SNAPSHOT.jar $prefix_dir/lib/utils
 # build (and test)
 unset CLAS12DIR
 if $runUnitTests; then
-  $mvn install # also runs unit tests
+  $mvn install -DskipTests=false
 else
-  $mvn install -DskipTests
+  $mvn install
 fi
 
 # run spotbugs
diff --git a/pom.xml b/pom.xml
index 62c2a0aa3d..f6fca6969c 100644
--- a/pom.xml
+++ b/pom.xml
@@ -29,6 +29,18 @@
     </repository>
   </repositories>
 
+  <profiles>
+    <profile> <!-- skip unit tests by default -->
+      <id>skip-tests</id>
+      <activation>
+        <activeByDefault>true</activeByDefault>
+      </activation>
+      <properties>
+        <skipTests>true</skipTests>
+      </properties>
+    </profile>
+  </profiles>
+
   <!-- :::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::: -->
 
   <dependencyManagement>