diff --git a/t/lib-git-svn.sh b/t/lib-git-svn.sh
index 688313ed5c..4c1f81f167 100644
--- a/t/lib-git-svn.sh
+++ b/t/lib-git-svn.sh
@@ -17,8 +17,8 @@ SVN_TREE=$GIT_SVN_DIR/svn-tree
 svn >/dev/null 2>&1
 if test $? -ne 1
 then
-    skip_all='skipping git svn tests, svn not found'
-    test_done
+	skip_all='skipping git svn tests, svn not found'
+	test_done
 fi
 
 svnrepo=$PWD/svnrepo
@@ -110,18 +110,20 @@ EOF
 }
 
 require_svnserve () {
-    if test -z "$SVNSERVE_PORT"
-    then
-	skip_all='skipping svnserve test. (set $SVNSERVE_PORT to enable)'
-        test_done
-    fi
+	test_tristate GIT_TEST_SVNSERVE
+	if ! test "$GIT_TEST_SVNSERVE" = true
+	then
+		skip_all='skipping svnserve test. (set $GIT_TEST_SVNSERVE to enable)'
+		test_done
+	fi
 }
 
 start_svnserve () {
-    svnserve --listen-port $SVNSERVE_PORT \
-             --root "$rawsvnrepo" \
-             --listen-once \
-             --listen-host 127.0.0.1 &
+	SVNSERVE_PORT=${SVNSERVE_PORT-${this_test#t}}
+	svnserve --listen-port $SVNSERVE_PORT \
+		 --root "$rawsvnrepo" \
+		 --listen-once \
+		 --listen-host 127.0.0.1 &
 }
 
 prepare_a_utf8_locale () {