diff --git a/lib/android-helpers.js b/lib/android-helpers.js
index c090a3da..639ff535 100644
--- a/lib/android-helpers.js
+++ b/lib/android-helpers.js
@@ -628,9 +628,14 @@ helpers.verifyUnlock = async function (adb) {
 };
 
 helpers.initDevice = async function (adb, opts) {
-  await adb.waitForDevice();
-  // pushSettingsApp required before calling ensureDeviceLocale for API Level 24+
-  await helpers.pushSettingsApp(adb);
+  if (opts.skipDeviceInitialization) {
+    logger.info(`'skipDeviceInitialization' is set. Skipping device initialization.`);
+  } else {
+    await adb.waitForDevice();
+    // pushSettingsApp required before calling ensureDeviceLocale for API Level 24+
+    await helpers.pushSettingsApp(adb);
+  }
+
   if (!opts.avd) {
     await helpers.setMockLocationApp(adb, SETTINGS_HELPER_PKG_ID);
   }
@@ -638,6 +643,7 @@ helpers.initDevice = async function (adb, opts) {
   if (opts.language || opts.locale) {
     await helpers.ensureDeviceLocale(adb, opts.language, opts.locale, opts.localeScript);
   }
+
   await adb.startLogcat();
   if (opts.unicodeKeyboard) {
     return await helpers.initUnicodeKeyboard(adb);
diff --git a/lib/desired-caps.js b/lib/desired-caps.js
index 929f7be4..2669b155 100644
--- a/lib/desired-caps.js
+++ b/lib/desired-caps.js
@@ -181,6 +181,9 @@ let commonCapConstraints = {
   localeScript: {
     isString: true
   },
+  skipDeviceInitialization: {
+    isBoolean: true
+  }
 };
 
 let uiautomatorCapConstraints = {