diff --git a/Makefile.in b/Makefile.in
index c0e1973e95e59..5d37c1da8fb3c 100644
--- a/Makefile.in
+++ b/Makefile.in
@@ -68,7 +68,7 @@
 #
 #   * `TESTNAME=...` - Specify the name of tests to run
 #   * `CHECK_IGNORED=1` - Run normally-ignored tests
-#   * `NO_BENCH=1` - Don't run crate benchmarks (disable `--bench` flag)
+#   * `PLEASE_BENCH=1` - Run crate benchmarks (enable `--bench` flag)
 #
 #   * `CFG_ENABLE_VALGRIND=1` - Run tests under valgrind
 #   * `VALGRIND_COMPILE=1` - Run the compiler itself under valgrind
diff --git a/mk/tests.mk b/mk/tests.mk
index befd1a737f7e6..8f20d55e3859c 100644
--- a/mk/tests.mk
+++ b/mk/tests.mk
@@ -32,7 +32,7 @@ ifdef CHECK_IGNORED
   TESTARGS += --ignored
 endif
 
-TEST_BENCH = --bench
+TEST_BENCH =
 
 # Arguments to the cfail/rfail/rpass/bench tests
 ifdef CFG_VALGRIND
@@ -40,8 +40,8 @@ ifdef CFG_VALGRIND
   TEST_BENCH =
 endif
 
-ifdef NO_BENCH
-  TEST_BENCH =
+ifdef PLEASE_BENCH
+  TEST_BENCH = --bench
 endif
 
 # Arguments to the perf tests