diff --git a/src/tribler-gui/tribler_gui/core_manager.py b/src/tribler-gui/tribler_gui/core_manager.py
index 4622cd8b8df..23a09899738 100644
--- a/src/tribler-gui/tribler_gui/core_manager.py
+++ b/src/tribler-gui/tribler_gui/core_manager.py
@@ -18,6 +18,7 @@
 from tribler_gui.utilities import connect, format_size, get_base_path
 
 START_FAKE_API = False
+SKIP_VERSION_CLEANUP = os.environ.get("SKIP_VERSION_CLEANUP", "FALSE").lower() == "true"
 
 
 class CoreManager(QObject):
@@ -112,7 +113,8 @@ def on_request_error(_):
 
     def should_cleanup_old_versions(self) -> List[TriblerVersion]:
         # Skip old version check popup when running fake core, eg. during GUI tests
-        if START_FAKE_API:
+        # or during deployment tests since it blocks the tests with a popup dialog
+        if START_FAKE_API or SKIP_VERSION_CLEANUP:
             return []
 
         if self.version_history.last_run_version == self.version_history.code_version: