diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index fb8e96a..9fbbd92 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -385,17 +385,27 @@ def handle(req):
 
 
 ## Testing
-The `python3` templates will run `pytest` using `tox` during the `faas-cli build`. There are several options for controlling this.
+The `python3` templates support running `pytest` using `tox` during `faas-cli build`. Testing is disabled by default and must be explicitly enabled.
 
-### Disabling testing
-The template exposes the build arg `TEST_ENABLED`. You can completely disable testing during build by passing the following flag to the CLI
+### Enabling testing
+The template exposes the build arg `TEST_ENABLED`. You can enable testing during build by passing the following flag to the CLI
 
 ```sh
---build-arg 'TEST_ENABLED=false'
+--build-arg 'TEST_ENABLED=true'
 ```
 
 You can also set it permanently in your stack.yaml, see the [YAML reference in the docs](https://docs.openfaas.com/reference/yaml/#function-build-args-build-args).
 
+```yaml
+functions:
+  fn:
+    lang: python3-http
+    handler: ./fn
+    image: fn:latest
+    build_args:
+      TEST_ENABLED: "true"
+```
+
 ### Changing the test configuration
 The template creates a default `tox.ini` file, modifying this file can completely control what happens during the test. You can change the test command, for example switching to `nose`. See the [tox docs](https://tox.readthedocs.io/en/latest/index.html) for more details and examples.
 
diff --git a/template/python3-flask-debian/Dockerfile b/template/python3-flask-debian/Dockerfile
index 4470f8b..a1bbde3 100644
--- a/template/python3-flask-debian/Dockerfile
+++ b/template/python3-flask-debian/Dockerfile
@@ -47,12 +47,10 @@ USER root
 
 COPY --chown=app:app function/   .
 
-FROM build AS test
 ARG TEST_COMMAND=tox
-ARG TEST_ENABLED=true
+ARG TEST_ENABLED=false
 RUN [ "$TEST_ENABLED" = "false" ] && echo "skipping tests" || eval "$TEST_COMMAND"
 
-
 FROM build AS ship
 WORKDIR /home/app/
 
diff --git a/template/python3-flask-debian/function/handler_test.py b/template/python3-flask-debian/function/handler_test.py
index b07d5bf..c4bf4af 100644
--- a/template/python3-flask-debian/function/handler_test.py
+++ b/template/python3-flask-debian/function/handler_test.py
@@ -2,7 +2,7 @@
 
 # Test your handler here
 
-# To disable testing, you can set the build_arg `TEST_ENABLED=false` on the CLI or in your stack.yml
+# To enable testing, you can set the build_arg `TEST_ENABLED=true` on the CLI or in your stack.yml
 # https://docs.openfaas.com/reference/yaml/#function-build-args-build-args
 
 def test_handle():
diff --git a/template/python3-flask/Dockerfile b/template/python3-flask/Dockerfile
index 1c344a2..1c4f48e 100644
--- a/template/python3-flask/Dockerfile
+++ b/template/python3-flask/Dockerfile
@@ -45,9 +45,8 @@ USER root
 COPY --chown=app:app function/   .
 
 
-FROM build AS test
 ARG TEST_COMMAND=tox
-ARG TEST_ENABLED=true
+ARG TEST_ENABLED=false
 RUN [ "$TEST_ENABLED" = "false" ] && echo "skipping tests" || eval "$TEST_COMMAND"
 
 FROM build AS ship
diff --git a/template/python3-flask/function/handler_test.py b/template/python3-flask/function/handler_test.py
index b07d5bf..c4bf4af 100644
--- a/template/python3-flask/function/handler_test.py
+++ b/template/python3-flask/function/handler_test.py
@@ -2,7 +2,7 @@
 
 # Test your handler here
 
-# To disable testing, you can set the build_arg `TEST_ENABLED=false` on the CLI or in your stack.yml
+# To enable testing, you can set the build_arg `TEST_ENABLED=true` on the CLI or in your stack.yml
 # https://docs.openfaas.com/reference/yaml/#function-build-args-build-args
 
 def test_handle():
diff --git a/template/python3-http-debian/Dockerfile b/template/python3-http-debian/Dockerfile
index 2ae4ea7..1e18bb7 100644
--- a/template/python3-http-debian/Dockerfile
+++ b/template/python3-http-debian/Dockerfile
@@ -42,13 +42,10 @@ RUN pip install --no-cache-dir --user -r requirements.txt
 USER root
 COPY --chown=app:app function/   .
 
-FROM build AS test
-
 ARG TEST_COMMAND=tox
-ARG TEST_ENABLED=true
+ARG TEST_ENABLED=false
 RUN [ "$TEST_ENABLED" = "false" ] && echo "skipping tests" || eval "$TEST_COMMAND"
 
-
 FROM build AS ship
 WORKDIR /home/app/
 
diff --git a/template/python3-http-debian/function/handler_test.py b/template/python3-http-debian/function/handler_test.py
index b07d5bf..c4bf4af 100644
--- a/template/python3-http-debian/function/handler_test.py
+++ b/template/python3-http-debian/function/handler_test.py
@@ -2,7 +2,7 @@
 
 # Test your handler here
 
-# To disable testing, you can set the build_arg `TEST_ENABLED=false` on the CLI or in your stack.yml
+# To enable testing, you can set the build_arg `TEST_ENABLED=true` on the CLI or in your stack.yml
 # https://docs.openfaas.com/reference/yaml/#function-build-args-build-args
 
 def test_handle():
diff --git a/template/python3-http/Dockerfile b/template/python3-http/Dockerfile
index a5d2d8d..4ea40d4 100644
--- a/template/python3-http/Dockerfile
+++ b/template/python3-http/Dockerfile
@@ -41,9 +41,8 @@ RUN pip install --no-cache-dir --user -r requirements.txt
 USER root
 COPY --chown=app:app function/   .
 
-FROM build AS test
 ARG TEST_COMMAND=tox
-ARG TEST_ENABLED=true
+ARG TEST_ENABLED=false
 RUN [ "$TEST_ENABLED" = "false" ] && echo "skipping tests" || eval "$TEST_COMMAND"
 
 FROM build AS ship
diff --git a/template/python3-http/function/handler_test.py b/template/python3-http/function/handler_test.py
index b07d5bf..c4bf4af 100644
--- a/template/python3-http/function/handler_test.py
+++ b/template/python3-http/function/handler_test.py
@@ -2,7 +2,7 @@
 
 # Test your handler here
 
-# To disable testing, you can set the build_arg `TEST_ENABLED=false` on the CLI or in your stack.yml
+# To enable testing, you can set the build_arg `TEST_ENABLED=true` on the CLI or in your stack.yml
 # https://docs.openfaas.com/reference/yaml/#function-build-args-build-args
 
 def test_handle():