diff --git a/inventory_provider/__init__.py b/inventory_provider/__init__.py
index 92da8b9e46a2aad1689908c54bb75758107e6d10..ed7d1c17db0e309c8e30748575f07bb878ace8fa 100644
--- a/inventory_provider/__init__.py
+++ b/inventory_provider/__init__.py
@@ -14,6 +14,10 @@ def create_app():
     :return: a new flask app instance
     """
 
+    if "SETTINGS_FILENAME" not in os.environ:
+        assert False, \
+            "environment variable SETTINGS_FILENAME' must be defined"
+
     app = Flask(__name__)
     app.secret_key = "super secret session key"
 
@@ -35,12 +39,10 @@ def create_app():
     from inventory_provider.routes import poller
     app.register_blueprint(poller.routes, url_prefix='/poller')
 
-    from inventory_provider.routes import testing
-    app.register_blueprint(testing.routes, url_prefix='/testing')
-
-    if "SETTINGS_FILENAME" not in os.environ:
-        assert False, \
-            "environment variable SETTINGS_FILENAME' must be defined"
+    if "ENABLE_TESTING_ROUTES" in os.environ:
+        from inventory_provider.routes import testing
+        app.register_blueprint(testing.routes, url_prefix='/testing')
+        logging.warning('DANGER!!! testing routes enabled')
 
     logging.info("initializing Flask with config from: %r"
                  % os.environ["SETTINGS_FILENAME"])