diff --git a/skylib/k8s.bzl b/skylib/k8s.bzl
index 7a60a1c0..847b52cf 100644
--- a/skylib/k8s.bzl
+++ b/skylib/k8s.bzl
@@ -507,6 +507,18 @@ def _k8s_test_setup_impl(ctx):
 
     files.append(ctx.executable._template_engine)
 
+    sidecar_args = []
+    if ctx.attr.setup_timeout:
+        sidecar_args.append("-timeout=%s" % ctx.attr.setup_timeout)
+    for service in ctx.attr.portforward_services:
+        sidecar_args.append("--portforward=%s" % service)
+    for app in ctx.attr.wait_for_apps:
+        sidecar_args.append("--waitforapp=%s" % app)
+    if ctx.attr.allow_errors:
+        sidecar_args.append("--allow_errors")
+    if ctx.attr.disable_pod_logs:
+        sidecar_args.append("--disable_pod_logs")
+
     # create namespace script
     ctx.actions.expand_template(
         template = ctx.file._namespace_template,
@@ -515,13 +527,11 @@ def _k8s_test_setup_impl(ctx):
             "%{cluster}": ctx.file.cluster.path,
             "%{kubeconfig}": ctx.file.kubeconfig.path,
             "%{kubectl}": ctx.file.kubectl.path,
-            "%{portforwards}": " ".join(["-portforward=" + p for p in ctx.attr.portforward_services]),
             "%{push_statements}": push_statements,
             "%{set_namespace}": ctx.executable._set_namespace.short_path,
             "%{it_manifest_filter}": ctx.executable._it_manifest_filter.short_path,
             "%{statements}": "\n".join(commands),
-            "%{test_timeout}": ctx.attr.setup_timeout,
-            "%{waitforapps}": " ".join(["-waitforapp=" + p for p in ctx.attr.wait_for_apps]),
+            "%{sidecar_args}": " ".join(sidecar_args),
         },
         output = ctx.outputs.executable,
     )
@@ -555,6 +565,14 @@ k8s_test_setup = rule(
         "portforward_services": attr.string_list(),
         "setup_timeout": attr.string(default = "10m"),
         "wait_for_apps": attr.string_list(),
+        "allow_errors": attr.bool(
+            default = False,
+            doc = "If true, the test will ignore any kuberntetes errors. Use only in situations when error is a part of the normal workflow, like crashlooping to wait for dependencies.",
+        ),
+        "disable_pod_logs": attr.bool(
+            default = False,
+            doc = "If true, the test will not collect logs from pods.",
+        ),
         "cluster": attr.label(
             #default = Label("@k8s_test//:cluster"),
             allow_single_file = True,
diff --git a/skylib/k8s_test_namespace.sh.tpl b/skylib/k8s_test_namespace.sh.tpl
index 05ad41e1..378d1ab7 100644
--- a/skylib/k8s_test_namespace.sh.tpl
+++ b/skylib/k8s_test_namespace.sh.tpl
@@ -110,4 +110,4 @@ function waitpids() {
 # create k8s objects
 %{statements}
 
-%{it_sidecar} -namespace=${NAMESPACE} -timeout=%{test_timeout} %{portforwards} %{waitforapps} ${DELETE_NAMESPACE_FLAG} "$@"
+%{it_sidecar} -namespace=${NAMESPACE} %{sidecar_args} ${DELETE_NAMESPACE_FLAG} "$@"
diff --git a/testing/it_sidecar/it_sidecar.go b/testing/it_sidecar/it_sidecar.go
index 60a69bb4..814540c2 100644
--- a/testing/it_sidecar/it_sidecar.go
+++ b/testing/it_sidecar/it_sidecar.go
@@ -73,6 +73,7 @@ var (
 	kubeconfig      string
 	waitForApps     arrayFlags
 	allowErrors     bool
+	disablePodLogs  bool
 )
 
 func init() {
@@ -80,6 +81,7 @@ func init() {
 	flag.StringVar(&kubeconfig, "kubeconfig", os.Getenv("KUBECONFIG"), "path to kubernetes config file")
 	flag.Var(&waitForApps, "waitforapp", "wait for pods with label app=<this parameter>")
 	flag.BoolVar(&allowErrors, "allow_errors", false, "do not treat Failed in events as error. Use only if crashloop is expected")
+	flag.BoolVar(&disablePodLogs, "disable_pod_logs", false, "do not forward pod logs")
 }
 
 // contains returns true if slice v contains an item
@@ -372,7 +374,7 @@ func main() {
 	defer cleanup(clientset)
 
 	go func() {
-		err := stern.Run(ctx, *namespace, clientset, allowErrors)
+		err := stern.Run(ctx, *namespace, clientset, allowErrors, disablePodLogs)
 		if err != nil {
 			log.Print(err)
 		}
diff --git a/testing/it_sidecar/stern/main.go b/testing/it_sidecar/stern/main.go
index 0856c774..33e15c17 100644
--- a/testing/it_sidecar/stern/main.go
+++ b/testing/it_sidecar/stern/main.go
@@ -23,11 +23,14 @@ import (
 )
 
 // Run starts the main run loop
-func Run(ctx context.Context, namespace string, clientset *kubernetes.Clientset, allowErrors bool) error {
+func Run(ctx context.Context, namespace string, clientset *kubernetes.Clientset, allowErrors, disablePodLogs bool) error {
 
 	tails := make(map[string]*Tail)
 
 	err := Watch(ctx, clientset.CoreV1().Pods(namespace), RUNNING, labels.Everything(), allowErrors, func(p *Target) {
+		if disablePodLogs {
+			return
+		}
 		id := p.GetID()
 		if tails[id] != nil {
 			return
@@ -37,6 +40,9 @@ func Run(ctx context.Context, namespace string, clientset *kubernetes.Clientset,
 		tails[id] = tail
 		tail.Start(clientset.CoreV1().Pods(p.Namespace))
 	}, func(p *Target) {
+		if disablePodLogs {
+			return
+		}
 		id := p.GetID()
 		if tails[id] == nil {
 			return