diff --git a/lib/spack/spack/cmd/test.py b/lib/spack/spack/cmd/test.py
index fcd72a123e..4da35c8a35 100644
--- a/lib/spack/spack/cmd/test.py
+++ b/lib/spack/spack/cmd/test.py
@@ -54,6 +54,12 @@ def setup_parser(subparser):
     run_parser.add_argument(
         "--externals", action="store_true", help="Test packages that are externally installed."
     )
+    run_parser.add_argument(
+        "-x",
+        "--explicit",
+        action="store_true",
+        help="Only test packages that are explicitly installed.",
+    )
     run_parser.add_argument(
         "--keep-stage", action="store_true", help="Keep testing directory for debugging"
     )
@@ -188,6 +194,9 @@ def test_run(args):
     if args.fail_fast:
         spack.config.set("config:fail_fast", True, scope="command_line")
 
+    explicit = args.explicit or any
+    explicit_str = "explicitly " if args.explicit else ""
+
     # Get specs to test
     env = ev.active_environment()
     hashes = env.all_hashes() if env else None
@@ -195,9 +204,13 @@ def test_run(args):
     specs = spack.cmd.parse_specs(args.specs) if args.specs else [None]
     specs_to_test = []
     for spec in specs:
-        matching = spack.store.db.query_local(spec, hashes=hashes)
+        matching = spack.store.db.query_local(
+            spec,
+            hashes=hashes,
+            explicit=explicit,
+        )
         if spec and not matching:
-            tty.warn("No installed packages match spec %s" % spec)
+            tty.warn("No {0}installed packages match spec {1}".format(explicit_str, spec))
             """
             TODO: Need to write out a log message and/or CDASH Testing
               output that package not installed IF continue to process
@@ -208,6 +221,7 @@ def test_run(args):
                 # to ensure report package as skipped (e.g., for CI)
                 specs_to_test.append(spec)
             """
+
         specs_to_test.extend(matching)
 
     # test_stage_dir
diff --git a/lib/spack/spack/test/ci.py b/lib/spack/spack/test/ci.py
index b2c83ca2a9..06f212d92a 100644
--- a/lib/spack/spack/test/ci.py
+++ b/lib/spack/spack/test/ci.py
@@ -467,7 +467,7 @@ def test_affected_specs_on_first_concretization(mutable_mock_env_path, config):
 
 
 @pytest.mark.skipif(
-    sys.platform == "win32", reason="Reliance on bash script ot supported on Windows"
+    sys.platform == "win32", reason="Reliance on bash script not supported on Windows"
 )
 def test_ci_process_command(tmpdir):
     repro_dir = tmpdir.join("repro_dir").strpath
@@ -479,7 +479,7 @@ def test_ci_process_command(tmpdir):
 
 
 @pytest.mark.skipif(
-    sys.platform == "win32", reason="Reliance on bash script ot supported on Windows"
+    sys.platform == "win32", reason="Reliance on bash script not supported on Windows"
 )
 def test_ci_process_command_fail(tmpdir, monkeypatch):
     import subprocess
@@ -526,7 +526,7 @@ def test_ci_run_standalone_tests_missing_requirements(
 
 
 @pytest.mark.skipif(
-    sys.platform == "win32", reason="Reliance on bash script ot supported on Windows"
+    sys.platform == "win32", reason="Reliance on bash script not supported on Windows"
 )
 def test_ci_run_standalone_tests_not_installed_junit(
     tmpdir, working_env, config, mock_packages, mock_test_stage, capfd
@@ -547,7 +547,7 @@ def test_ci_run_standalone_tests_not_installed_junit(
 
 
 @pytest.mark.skipif(
-    sys.platform == "win32", reason="Reliance on bash script ot supported on Windows"
+    sys.platform == "win32", reason="Reliance on bash script not supported on Windows"
 )
 def test_ci_run_standalone_tests_not_installed_cdash(
     tmpdir, working_env, config, mock_packages, mock_test_stage, capfd
diff --git a/share/spack/spack-completion.bash b/share/spack/spack-completion.bash
index dac7f67f99..48e4c86b42 100755
--- a/share/spack/spack-completion.bash
+++ b/share/spack/spack-completion.bash
@@ -1738,7 +1738,7 @@ _spack_test() {
 _spack_test_run() {
     if $list_options
     then
-        SPACK_COMPREPLY="-h --help --alias --fail-fast --fail-first --externals --keep-stage --log-format --log-file --cdash-upload-url --cdash-build --cdash-site --cdash-track --cdash-buildstamp --help-cdash --clean --dirty"
+        SPACK_COMPREPLY="-h --help --alias --fail-fast --fail-first --externals -x --explicit --keep-stage --log-format --log-file --cdash-upload-url --cdash-build --cdash-site --cdash-track --cdash-buildstamp --help-cdash --clean --dirty"
     else
         _installed_packages
     fi