diff --git a/src/libostree/ostree-repo.c b/src/libostree/ostree-repo.c
index b2347b47c7..76b02482b3 100644
--- a/src/libostree/ostree-repo.c
+++ b/src/libostree/ostree-repo.c
@@ -3291,7 +3291,7 @@ ostree_repo_open (OstreeRepo    *self,
   if (!glnx_opendirat (self->repo_dir_fd, "tmp", TRUE, &self->tmp_dir_fd, error))
     return FALSE;
 
-  if (self->writable)
+  if (self->writable && getenv ("OSTREE_SKIP_CACHE") == NULL)
     {
       if (!glnx_shutil_mkdir_p_at (self->tmp_dir_fd, _OSTREE_CACHE_DIR, DEFAULT_DIRECTORY_MODE, cancellable, error))
         return FALSE;
diff --git a/tests/libtest.sh b/tests/libtest.sh
index 2e9a99df50..40f362beff 100755
--- a/tests/libtest.sh
+++ b/tests/libtest.sh
@@ -86,6 +86,11 @@ unset TAR_OPTIONS
 # easily clean up.
 export OSTREE_SYSROOT_DEBUG=mutable-deployments
 
+# By default, don't use a cache directory since it makes the tests racy.
+# Tests that are explicitly testing the cache operation should unset
+# this.
+export OSTREE_SKIP_CACHE=1
+
 export TEST_GPG_KEYID_1="7FCA23D8472CDAFA"
 export TEST_GPG_KEYFPR_1="5E65DE75AB1C501862D476347FCA23D8472CDAFA"
 export TEST_GPG_KEYID_2="D8228CFECA950D41"
diff --git a/tests/test-pull-summary-caching.sh b/tests/test-pull-summary-caching.sh
index 9671199a11..37c2aed624 100755
--- a/tests/test-pull-summary-caching.sh
+++ b/tests/test-pull-summary-caching.sh
@@ -31,6 +31,9 @@ if ! has_gpgme; then
     exit 0
 fi
 
+# Ensure repo caching is in use.
+unset OSTREE_SKIP_CACHE
+
 COMMIT_SIGN="--gpg-homedir=${TEST_GPG_KEYHOME} --gpg-sign=${TEST_GPG_KEYID_1}"
 
 echo "1..1"
diff --git a/tests/test-pull-summary-sigs.sh b/tests/test-pull-summary-sigs.sh
index 3819cbf3da..04a8e48823 100755
--- a/tests/test-pull-summary-sigs.sh
+++ b/tests/test-pull-summary-sigs.sh
@@ -23,6 +23,9 @@ set -euo pipefail
 
 . $(dirname $0)/libtest.sh
 
+# Ensure repo caching is in use.
+unset OSTREE_SKIP_CACHE
+
 COMMIT_SIGN=""
 if has_gpgme; then
     COMMIT_SIGN="--gpg-homedir=${TEST_GPG_KEYHOME} --gpg-sign=${TEST_GPG_KEYID_1}"
diff --git a/tests/test-signed-pull-summary.sh b/tests/test-signed-pull-summary.sh
index e953f2ea55..3d4686933e 100755
--- a/tests/test-signed-pull-summary.sh
+++ b/tests/test-signed-pull-summary.sh
@@ -27,6 +27,9 @@ set -euo pipefail
 
 echo "1..14"
 
+# Ensure repo caching is in use.
+unset OSTREE_SKIP_CACHE
+
 # This is explicitly opt in for testing
 export OSTREE_DUMMY_SIGN_ENABLED=1