--- a/lens.cabal
+++ b/lens.cabal
@@ -148,6 +148,11 @@ flag dump-splices
   default: False
   manual: True
 
+-- You can disable the templates test suite with -f-test-templates
+flag test-templates
+  default: True
+  manual: True
+
 -- You can disable the doctests test suite with -f-test-doctests
 flag test-doctests
   default: True
@@ -340,6 +345,9 @@ test-suite templates
   ghc-options: -Wall -threaded
   hs-source-dirs: tests
 
+  if !flag(test-templates)
+    buildable: False
+
   if flag(dump-splices)
     ghc-options: -ddump-splices