diff --git a/.github/workflows/test.yml b/.github/workflows/test.yml
index 1227a15..80ea6aa 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/test.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/test.yml
@@ -29,7 +29,7 @@ jobs:
     - uses: actions/setup-go@v7
       with:
         go-version: ${{ matrix.go-version }}
-    - run: go test -timeout 3m ${{ matrix.race }} -v ./...
+    - run: CGROUPS_ALLOW_UNSAFE_TESTS=true go test -timeout 3m ${{ matrix.race }} -v ./...
 
   cgroup-v1:
     name: "cgroup v1 (AlmaLinux 8)"
@@ -57,7 +57,7 @@ jobs:
         lima sudo dnf install -y golang
 
     - name: "Run unit tests"
-      run: LIMA_WORKDIR=/tmp/cgroups lima sudo GOTOOLCHAIN=auto go test -v ./...
+      run: LIMA_WORKDIR=/tmp/cgroups lima sudo GOTOOLCHAIN=auto CGROUPS_ALLOW_UNSAFE_TESTS=true go test -v ./...
 
   all-done:
     needs:
diff --git a/systemd/dbus_test.go b/systemd/dbus_test.go
index 50bde38..4ed5dd2 100644
--- a/systemd/dbus_test.go
+++ b/systemd/dbus_test.go
@@ -11,6 +11,10 @@ func TestParallelConnection(t *testing.T) {
 	if !IsRunningSystemd() {
 		t.Skip("Test requires systemd.")
 	}
+	if _, ok := os.LookupEnv("CGROUPS_ALLOW_UNSAFE_TESTS"); !ok {
+		t.Skip("skipping unsafe test (can kill your desktop session); " +
+			"set CGROUPS_ALLOW_UNSAFE_TESTS=true to enable")
+	}
 	var dms []*dbusConnManager
 	for range 600 {
 		dms = append(dms, newDbusConnManager(os.Geteuid() != 0))