diff --git a/include/config.php.sample b/include/config.php.sample
index bf5bcc8..81beba9 100644
--- a/include/config.php.sample
+++ b/include/config.php.sample
@@ -19,6 +19,9 @@ define("APPDB_OWNER_URL","http://www.winehq.org/"); // website of this product/c
 define("APPDB_OWNER_EMAIL","appdb@winehq.org"); // e-mail of this product/company
 define("BUGZILLA_ROOT","http://bugs.winehq.org/"); // path to bugzilla
 
+// AppDB developers: Use this define to disable email from being sent from the appdb during testing
+//if(!defined("DISABLE_EMAIL"))
+// define("DISABLE_EMAIL", true); // disable email, see mail_appdb() in include/mail.php
 
 /*
  * apps database info
diff --git a/include/mail.php b/include/mail.php
index 266b4fb..d580bfe 100644
--- a/include/mail.php
+++ b/include/mail.php
@@ -3,6 +3,11 @@ require_once(BASE."include/config.php");
 
 function mail_appdb($sEmailList,$sSubject,$sMsg)
 {
+    // NOTE: For AppDB developers: If email is disabled return from this function
+    //  immediately. See include/config.php.sample for information
+    if(defined("DISABLE_EMAIL"))
+        return;
+
     $sHeaders  = "MIME-Version: 1.0\r\n";
     $sHeaders .= "From: AppDB <".APPDB_OWNER_EMAIL.">\r\n";
     $sHeaders .= "Reply-to: AppDB <".APPDB_OWNER_EMAIL.">\r\n";
diff --git a/unit_test/run_tests.php b/unit_test/run_tests.php
index 6b757eb..4d9a8e9 100644
--- a/unit_test/run_tests.php
+++ b/unit_test/run_tests.php
@@ -7,6 +7,10 @@
 
 error_reporting(E_ALL);
 
+// disable emailing
+if(!defined("DISABLE_EMAIL"))
+   define("DISABLE_EMAIL", true);
+
 include_once("test_user.php");
 echo "\n";
 include_once("test_query.php");