diff --git a/tests/certs/CMakeLists.txt b/tests/certs/CMakeLists.txt
index 399483a738..d0e1f55b85 100644
--- a/tests/certs/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/tests/certs/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -31,7 +31,11 @@ add_custom_command(OUTPUT ${GENERATEDCERTS}
   VERBATIM
 )
 add_custom_target(build-certs DEPENDS ${GENERATEDCERTS})
-add_dependencies(testdeps build-certs)
+
+option(_CURL_SKIP_BUILD_CERTS "Skip building certs with testdeps" OFF)  # Internal option to increase perf for build tests
+if(NOT _CURL_SKIP_BUILD_CERTS)
+  add_dependencies(testdeps build-certs)
+endif()
 
 add_custom_target(clean-certs
   COMMAND ${CMAKE_COMMAND} -E remove ${GENERATEDCERTS}