diff --git a/README b/README
index 6e9aa34d..593c1052 100644
--- a/README
+++ b/README
@@ -101,6 +101,7 @@ Preparing system for tests:
                using nvme drives.
              - set USE_KMEMLEAK=yes to scan for memory leaks in the kernel
                after every test, if the kernel supports kmemleak.
+             - set KEEP_DMESG=yes to keep dmesg log after test
 
         - or add a case to the switch in common/config assigning
           these variables based on the hostname of your test
diff --git a/common/config b/common/config
index 1b75777f..9a9c7760 100644
--- a/common/config
+++ b/common/config
@@ -22,6 +22,9 @@
 # RMT_IRIXTAPE_DEV- the IRIX remote tape device for the xfsdump tests
 # RMT_TAPE_USER -   remote user for tape device
 # SELINUX_MOUNT_OPTIONS - Options to use when SELinux is enabled.
+# KEEP_DMESG -      whether to keep all dmesg for each test case.
+#                   yes: keep all dmesg
+#                   no: only keep dmesg with error/warning (default)
 #
 # - These can be added to $HOST_CONFIG_DIR (witch default to ./config)
 #   below or a separate local configuration file can be used (using
diff --git a/common/rc b/common/rc
index e5535279..4688f236 100644
--- a/common/rc
+++ b/common/rc
@@ -3634,7 +3634,9 @@ _check_dmesg()
 		_dump_err "_check_dmesg: something found in dmesg (see $seqres.dmesg)"
 		return 1
 	else
-		rm -f $seqres.dmesg
+		if [ "$KEEP_DMESG" != "yes" ]; then
+			rm -f $seqres.dmesg
+		fi
 		return 0
 	fi
 }