diff --git a/build/fbcode_builder/getdeps.py b/build/fbcode_builder/getdeps.py
index fc7229fa6..cf76609ad 100755
--- a/build/fbcode_builder/getdeps.py
+++ b/build/fbcode_builder/getdeps.py
@@ -222,6 +222,11 @@ class BuildCmd(SubCmd):
         install_dirs = []
 
         for m in projects:
+            ctx = dict(ctx)
+            if args.enable_tests and m.name == manifest.name:
+                ctx["test"] = "on"
+            else:
+                ctx["test"] = "off"
             fetcher = m.create_fetcher(opts, ctx)
 
             if args.clean:
@@ -287,6 +292,15 @@ class BuildCmd(SubCmd):
                 "slow up-to-date-ness checks"
             ),
         )
+        parser.add_argument(
+            "--enable-tests",
+            action="store_true",
+            default=False,
+            help=(
+                "For the named project, build tests so that the test command "
+                "is able to execute tests"
+            ),
+        )
 
 
 @cmd("test", "test a given project")
@@ -296,6 +310,7 @@ class TestCmd(SubCmd):
         manifest = load_project(opts, args.project)
 
         ctx = context_from_host_tuple()
+        ctx["test"] = "on"
         projects = manifests_in_dependency_order(opts, manifest, ctx)
         manifests_by_name = {m.name: m for m in projects}
 
diff --git a/build/fbcode_builder/manifests/fbthrift b/build/fbcode_builder/manifests/fbthrift
index 8052d7d5c..dde36e37a 100644
--- a/build/fbcode_builder/manifests/fbthrift
+++ b/build/fbcode_builder/manifests/fbthrift
@@ -24,6 +24,12 @@ zstd
 [dependencies.any(os=windows, os=darwin)]
 bison
 
+[cmake.defines.test=on]
+BUILD_TESTS=ON
+
+[cmake.defines.test=off]
+BUILD_TESTS=OFF
+
 [shipit.pathmap]
 fbcode/thrift/public_tld = .
 fbcode/thrift = thrift
diff --git a/build/fbcode_builder/manifests/folly b/build/fbcode_builder/manifests/folly
index 1ac3e77c6..1de6e1d37 100644
--- a/build/fbcode_builder/manifests/folly
+++ b/build/fbcode_builder/manifests/folly
@@ -49,4 +49,9 @@ fbcode/folly = folly
 
 [cmake.defines]
 BUILD_SHARED_LIBS=OFF
+
+[cmake.defines.test=on]
 BUILD_TESTS=ON
+
+[cmake.defines.test=off]
+BUILD_TESTS=OFF
diff --git a/build/fbcode_builder/manifests/wangle b/build/fbcode_builder/manifests/wangle
index 876c2dbf3..6b330d620 100644
--- a/build/fbcode_builder/manifests/wangle
+++ b/build/fbcode_builder/manifests/wangle
@@ -11,8 +11,11 @@ repo_url = https://github.com/facebook/wangle.git
 builder = cmake
 subdir = wangle
 
-[cmake.defines]
-BUILD_TESTS = ON
+[cmake.defines.test=on]
+BUILD_TESTS=ON
+
+[cmake.defines.test=off]
+BUILD_TESTS=OFF
 
 [dependencies]
 folly