diff --git a/.github/workflows/selfdrive_tests.yaml b/.github/workflows/selfdrive_tests.yaml
index 2aae1350f3..b46b720b71 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/selfdrive_tests.yaml
+++ b/.github/workflows/selfdrive_tests.yaml
@@ -268,8 +268,7 @@ jobs:
     - name: Run unit tests
       timeout-minutes: 15
       run: |
-        ${{ env.RUN }} "export SKIP_LONG_TESTS=1 && \
-                        $PYTEST -n auto --dist=loadscope --timeout 30 -o cpp_files=test_* && \
+        ${{ env.RUN }} "$PYTEST -n auto --dist=loadscope --timeout 30 -o cpp_files=test_* -m 'not slow' && \
                         ./selfdrive/ui/tests/create_test_translations.sh && \
                         QT_QPA_PLATFORM=offscreen ./selfdrive/ui/tests/test_translations && \
                         ./selfdrive/ui/tests/test_translations.py && \
diff --git a/pyproject.toml b/pyproject.toml
index d5302c1184..9cdc249d12 100644
--- a/pyproject.toml
+++ b/pyproject.toml
@@ -5,7 +5,7 @@ addopts = "--ignore=openpilot/ --ignore=cereal/ --ignore=opendbc/ --ignore=panda
 python_files = "test_*.py"
 #timeout = "30"  # you get this long by default
 markers = [
-  "parallel: mark tests as parallelizable (tests with no global state, so can be run in parallel)"
+  "slow: tests that take awhile to run and can be skipped with -m 'not slow'"
 ]
 testpaths = [
   "common",
diff --git a/selfdrive/car/tests/test_models.py b/selfdrive/car/tests/test_models.py
index e6460d491e..b9622437a0 100755
--- a/selfdrive/car/tests/test_models.py
+++ b/selfdrive/car/tests/test_models.py
@@ -2,6 +2,7 @@
 import capnp
 import os
 import importlib
+import pytest
 import unittest
 from collections import defaultdict, Counter
 from typing import List, Optional, Tuple
@@ -23,7 +24,6 @@ from openpilot.tools.lib.logreader import LogReader
 from openpilot.tools.lib.route import Route, SegmentName, RouteName
 
 from panda.tests.libpanda import libpanda_py
-from openpilot.selfdrive.test.helpers import SKIP_ENV_VAR
 
 EventName = car.CarEvent.EventName
 PandaType = log.PandaState.PandaType
@@ -67,7 +67,7 @@ def get_test_cases() -> List[Tuple[str, Optional[CarTestRoute]]]:
   return test_cases
 
 
-
+@pytest.mark.slow
 class TestCarModelBase(unittest.TestCase):
   car_model: Optional[str] = None
   test_route: Optional[CarTestRoute] = None
@@ -76,7 +76,6 @@ class TestCarModelBase(unittest.TestCase):
   can_msgs: List[capnp.lib.capnp._DynamicStructReader]
   elm_frame: Optional[int]
 
-  @unittest.skipIf(SKIP_ENV_VAR in os.environ, f"Long running test skipped. Unset {SKIP_ENV_VAR} to run")
   @classmethod
   def setUpClass(cls):
     if cls.__name__ == 'TestCarModel' or cls.__name__.endswith('Base'):
diff --git a/selfdrive/locationd/test/test_laikad.py b/selfdrive/locationd/test/test_laikad.py
index 2c4a8a406d..db8802ed36 100755
--- a/selfdrive/locationd/test/test_laikad.py
+++ b/selfdrive/locationd/test/test_laikad.py
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 #!/usr/bin/env python3
-import os
+import pytest
 import time
 import unittest
 from cereal import log
@@ -19,7 +19,6 @@ from openpilot.selfdrive.test.openpilotci import get_url
 from openpilot.tools.lib.logreader import LogReader
 
 from openpilot.selfdrive.test.process_replay.process_replay import get_process_config, replay_process
-from openpilot.selfdrive.test.helpers import SKIP_ENV_VAR
 
 GPS_TIME_PREDICTION_ORBITS_RUSSIAN_SRC = GPSTime.from_datetime(datetime(2022, month=1, day=29, hour=12))
 UBLOX_TEST_ROUTE = "4cf7a6ad03080c90|2021-09-29--13-46-36"
@@ -94,7 +93,7 @@ def get_measurement_mock(gpstime, sat_ephemeris):
   return meas
 
 
-@unittest.skipIf(SKIP_ENV_VAR in os.environ, f"Laika test skipped since it's long and not currently used. Unset {SKIP_ENV_VAR} to run")
+@pytest.mark.slow
 class TestLaikad(unittest.TestCase):
 
   @classmethod
diff --git a/selfdrive/test/helpers.py b/selfdrive/test/helpers.py
index a6190b20b5..552070f024 100644
--- a/selfdrive/test/helpers.py
+++ b/selfdrive/test/helpers.py
@@ -9,7 +9,6 @@ from openpilot.selfdrive.manager.process_config import managed_processes
 from openpilot.system.hardware import PC
 from openpilot.system.version import training_version, terms_version
 
-SKIP_ENV_VAR = "SKIP_LONG_TESTS"
 
 def set_params_enabled():
   os.environ['PASSIVE'] = "0"