diff --git a/tests/testthat/perf_tests/perf_rate.R b/tests/testthat/perf_tests/perf_rate.R
index 90905e12..b8930889 100644
--- a/tests/testthat/perf_tests/perf_rate.R
+++ b/tests/testthat/perf_tests/perf_rate.R
@@ -45,6 +45,11 @@ perf.reference.save <- function(perf.ref.name, rate, tolerance.lower, tolerance.
     .perf.reference <<- .perf.reference
 }
 
+# Obtain performance test duration from PERF_DURATION_SEC environment variable, otherwise default.duration argument, otherwise "30".
+perf.testduration <- function(default.duration = 30) {
+    base::as.integer(base::Sys.getenv("PERF_DURATION_SEC", unset = base::as.character(default.duration)))
+}
+
 perf.reference.rate <- function(perf.ref.name) {
     if (is.null(.perf.reference))
         .load.pref()
diff --git a/tests/testthat/test-perf-meanDS.R b/tests/testthat/test-perf-meanDS.R
index 794e61b2..e0915068 100644
--- a/tests/testthat/test-perf-meanDS.R
+++ b/tests/testthat/test-perf-meanDS.R
@@ -30,7 +30,7 @@ test_that("numeric meanDS - performance", {
 
     input <- c(0.0, 1.0, 2.0, 3.0, 4.0)
 
-    .durationSec  <- 30 # seconds
+    .durationSec  <- perf.testduration(30)
     .count        <- 0
     .start.time   <- Sys.time()
     .current.time <- .start.time
@@ -65,7 +65,7 @@ test_that("numeric meanDS, with NA - performance", {
 
     input <- c(0.0, NA, 2.0, NA, 4.0)
 
-    .durationSec  <- 30 # seconds
+    .durationSec  <- perf.testduration(30)
     .count        <- 0
     .start.time   <- Sys.time()
     .current.time <- .start.time
diff --git a/tests/testthat/test-perf-varDS.R b/tests/testthat/test-perf-varDS.R
index d468c5da..5d9cec4a 100644
--- a/tests/testthat/test-perf-varDS.R
+++ b/tests/testthat/test-perf-varDS.R
@@ -30,7 +30,7 @@ test_that("numeric varDS - performance", {
 
     input <- c(0.0, 1.0, 2.0, 3.0, 4.0)
 
-    .durationSec  <- 30 # seconds
+    .durationSec  <- perf.testduration(30)
     .count        <- 0
     .start.time   <- Sys.time()
     .current.time <- .start.time
@@ -65,7 +65,7 @@ test_that("numeric varDS, with NA - performance", {
 
     input <- c(0.0, NA, 2.0, NA, 4.0)
 
-    .durationSec  <- 30 # seconds
+    .durationSec  <- perf.testduration(30)
     .count        <- 0
     .start.time   <- Sys.time()
     .current.time <- .start.time