diff --git a/app/models/application_request.rb b/app/models/application_request.rb
index 52a6a8a87e0..3d0d8ae905f 100644
--- a/app/models/application_request.rb
+++ b/app/models/application_request.rb
@@ -16,15 +16,16 @@ class ApplicationRequest < ActiveRecord::Base
   include CachedCounting
 
   def self.disable
-    @enabled = false
+    @disabled = true
   end
 
   def self.enable
-    @enabled = true
+    @disabled = false
   end
 
   def self.increment!(type, opts = nil)
-    perform_increment!(redis_key(type), opts) if @enabled
+    return if @disabled
+    perform_increment!(redis_key(type), opts)
   end
 
   def self.write_cache!(date = nil)
diff --git a/spec/rails_helper.rb b/spec/rails_helper.rb
index a0ce4b71b7d..cd235fedc92 100644
--- a/spec/rails_helper.rb
+++ b/spec/rails_helper.rb
@@ -128,6 +128,9 @@ module TestSetup
     # code that runs inside jobs. run_later! means they are put on the redis
     # queue and never processed.
     Jobs.run_later!
+
+    # Don't track ApplicationRequests in test mode unless opted in
+    ApplicationRequest.disable
   end
 end