diff --git a/docs/config_reference.rst b/docs/config_reference.rst
index 68bd5ed1c..d9178649c 100644
--- a/docs/config_reference.rst
+++ b/docs/config_reference.rst
@@ -351,6 +351,7 @@ System Partition Configuration
       The Slurm-based backends unset all ``SBATCH_*`` environment variables before submitting a job.
       This is done to avoid environment variables bypassing ReFrame's configuration.
       For example, if the :attr:`~config.systems.partitions.access` options for a partition used ``-A foo`` and ``SBATCH_ACCOUNT=bar`` was set, then the environment variable would override the configuration, as ReFrame emits those (by default) in the submission script.
+      If this is not desired, environment variables can be explicitly whitelisted using the :attr:`~config.systems.partitions.sched_options.slurm_envvar_whitelist` option.
 
       Job submission in ReFrame is controlled exclusively by the system partition's :attr:`~config.systems.partitions.access` options, the test job's :attr:`~reframe.core.schedulers.Job.options` and the :option:`-J` command-line option.
 
@@ -511,6 +512,18 @@ System Partition Configuration
    .. versionadded:: 4.8
 
 
+.. py:attribute:: systems.partitions.sched_options.slurm_envvar_whitelist
+
+   :required: No
+   :default: ``[]``
+
+   List of Slurm environment variables that will not be unset when submitting a job.
+
+   This option is relevant for the Slurm backends only.
+
+   .. versionadded:: 4.10
+
+
 .. py:attribute:: systems.partitions.sched_options.slurm_job_cancel_reasons
 
    :required: No
diff --git a/reframe/core/schedulers/slurm.py b/reframe/core/schedulers/slurm.py
index 1b23f89d1..df68f0953 100644
--- a/reframe/core/schedulers/slurm.py
+++ b/reframe/core/schedulers/slurm.py
@@ -142,6 +142,7 @@ def __init__(self):
             'PLANNED',
             'RESERVED'
         }
+        self._envvar_whitelist = set(self.get_option('slurm_envvar_whitelist'))
 
         # Define the base sacct and squeue commands to account for Slurm's
         # multiple cluster mode if enabled
@@ -282,7 +283,8 @@ def sbatch(self, args):
 
         with rt.temp_environment():
             for var in [name for name in os.environ.keys()
-                        if name.startswith('SBATCH_')]:
+                        if name.startswith('SBATCH_') and
+                        name not in self._envvar_whitelist]:
                 self.log(f'unsetting environment variable {var}',
                          logging.DEBUG)
                 del os.environ[var]
diff --git a/reframe/schemas/config.json b/reframe/schemas/config.json
index dbe9329f2..668cac0ee 100644
--- a/reframe/schemas/config.json
+++ b/reframe/schemas/config.json
@@ -119,6 +119,10 @@
                     "type": "array",
                     "items": {"type": "string"}
                 },
+                "slurm_envvar_whitelist": {
+                    "type": "array",
+                    "items": {"type": "string"}
+                },
                 "slurm_job_cancel_reasons": {
                     "type": "array",
                     "items": {"type": "string"}
@@ -720,6 +724,7 @@
         "systems*/sched_options/slurm_multi_cluster_mode": [],
         "systems*/sched_options/ssh_hosts": [],
         "systems*/sched_options/resubmit_on_errors": [],
+        "systems*/sched_options/slurm_envvar_whitelist": [],
         "systems*/sched_options/slurm_job_cancel_reasons": ["ReqNodeNotAvail"],
         "systems*/sched_options/slurm_pending_job_reason_poll_freq": 10,
         "systems*/sched_options/unqualified_hostnames": false,