diff --git a/tests/specs/README.md b/tests/specs/README.md
index bd3430f058..29c83ec128 100644
--- a/tests/specs/README.md
+++ b/tests/specs/README.md
@@ -26,6 +26,13 @@ Or just the following, though it might run other tests:
 cargo test test_name
 ```
 
+To run showing the output of every test use `-- --nocapture` (note: this will
+cause tests to run sequentially instead of in parallel):
+
+```
+cargo test test_name -- --nocapture
+```
+
 ## `__test__.json` file
 
 This file describes the test(s) to execute and the steps to execute. A basic
diff --git a/tests/specs/mod.rs b/tests/specs/mod.rs
index 3a52ab29ea..c46969f4e1 100644
--- a/tests/specs/mod.rs
+++ b/tests/specs/mod.rs
@@ -19,6 +19,7 @@ use file_test_runner::collection::CollectedTest;
 use file_test_runner::collection::CollectedTestCategory;
 use file_test_runner::SubTestResult;
 use file_test_runner::TestResult;
+use once_cell::sync::Lazy;
 use serde::Deserialize;
 use test_util::tests_path;
 use test_util::PathRef;
@@ -26,6 +27,9 @@ use test_util::TestContextBuilder;
 
 const MANIFEST_FILE_NAME: &str = "__test__.jsonc";
 
+static NO_CAPTURE: Lazy<bool> =
+  Lazy::new(|| std::env::args().any(|arg| arg == "--nocapture"));
+
 #[derive(Clone, Deserialize)]
 #[serde(untagged)]
 enum VecOrString {
@@ -178,7 +182,9 @@ pub fn main() {
   let _http_guard = test_util::http_server();
   file_test_runner::run_tests(
     &root_category,
-    file_test_runner::RunOptions { parallel: true },
+    file_test_runner::RunOptions {
+      parallel: !*NO_CAPTURE,
+    },
     run_test,
   );
 }
@@ -373,6 +379,12 @@ fn run_step(
     Some(command_name) => command.name(command_name),
     None => command,
   };
+  let command = match *NO_CAPTURE {
+    // deprecated is only to prevent use, so this is fine here
+    #[allow(deprecated)]
+    true => command.show_output(),
+    false => command,
+  };
   let output = command.run();
   if step.output.ends_with(".out") {
     let test_output_path = cwd.join(&step.output);
diff --git a/tests/specs/schema.json b/tests/specs/schema.json
index d41babd19e..bf57b4826a 100644
--- a/tests/specs/schema.json
+++ b/tests/specs/schema.json
@@ -93,6 +93,9 @@
               "additionalProperties": {
                 "type": "string"
               }
+            },
+            "repeat": {
+              "type": "number"
             }
           }
         }, {
diff --git a/tests/util/server/src/builders.rs b/tests/util/server/src/builders.rs
index bd2d02f3fe..58563bd03b 100644
--- a/tests/util/server/src/builders.rs
+++ b/tests/util/server/src/builders.rs
@@ -387,7 +387,7 @@ pub struct TestCommandBuilder {
   args_text: String,
   args_vec: Vec<String>,
   split_output: bool,
-  debug_output: bool,
+  show_output: bool,
 }
 
 impl TestCommandBuilder {
@@ -407,7 +407,7 @@ impl TestCommandBuilder {
       command_name: "deno".to_string(),
       args_text: "".to_string(),
       args_vec: Default::default(),
-      debug_output: false,
+      show_output: false,
     }
   }
 
@@ -489,8 +489,8 @@ impl TestCommandBuilder {
   /// Not deprecated, this is just here so you don't accidentally
   /// commit code with this enabled.
   #[deprecated]
-  pub fn debug_output(mut self) -> Self {
-    self.debug_output = true;
+  pub fn show_output(mut self) -> Self {
+    self.show_output = true;
     self
   }
 
@@ -662,15 +662,15 @@ impl TestCommandBuilder {
       let (stderr_reader, stderr_writer) = pipe().unwrap();
       command.stdout(stdout_writer);
       command.stderr(stderr_writer);
-      let debug_output = self.debug_output;
+      let show_output = self.show_output;
       (
         None,
         Some((
           std::thread::spawn(move || {
-            read_pipe_to_string(stdout_reader, debug_output)
+            read_pipe_to_string(stdout_reader, show_output)
           }),
           std::thread::spawn(move || {
-            read_pipe_to_string(stderr_reader, debug_output)
+            read_pipe_to_string(stderr_reader, show_output)
           }),
         )),
       )
@@ -695,7 +695,7 @@ impl TestCommandBuilder {
     drop(command);
 
     let combined = combined_reader.map(|pipe| {
-      sanitize_output(read_pipe_to_string(pipe, self.debug_output), &args)
+      sanitize_output(read_pipe_to_string(pipe, self.show_output), &args)
     });
 
     let status = process.wait().unwrap();