diff --git a/VARIABLES.md b/VARIABLES.md
index 26b46710..49d46bdb 100644
--- a/VARIABLES.md
+++ b/VARIABLES.md
@@ -67,9 +67,10 @@ it also means that `B` conflicts `A` even if not shown in the table).
 | `DESKTOP` | boolean | `false`/not set | nothing | set to indicate that Fedora is running with GUI (so for example OpenQA should expect graphical login screen) |
 | `ROOT_PASSWORD` | string | `weakpassword` | nothing | root password is set to this value |
 | `GRUB` | string | not set | nothing | when set, append this string to kernel line in GRUB |
+| `GRUBADD` | string | not set | nothing | when set, append this string to kernel line in GRUB, after the `GRUB` string if that one is set too. This is never set by tests; instead it's provided as a way to e.g. run the normal tests with an `updates.img` to test some anaconda change (the scheduler CLI can help you use this feature) |
 | `USER_LOGIN` | string | not set | should be used with `USER_PASSWORD` (unless `false`) | when set, user login is set to this value. If not set, default value `test` is used for console installs, no login is done for graphical installs. If set to `false`, no user login will be done |
 | `USER_PASSWORD` | string | not set | should be used with `USER_LOGIN` | when set, user password is set to this value. If not set, default value `weakpassword` is used for console installs, no login is done for graphical installs |
-| `BOOT_UPDATES_IMG_URL` | boolean | `false`/not set | set to indicate that path to updates.img was appended to kernel line |
+| `TEST_UPDATES` | boolean | `false`/not set | set to indicate that this test checks updates.img loading, so we should check for the expected effect of the updates image used for this testing |
 | `POSTINSTALL` | string | not set | nothing | If set, `tests/(value)_postinstall.pm` will be loaded after install, boot, login, and other postinstall tests
 | `UEFI` | boolean | `false`/not set | nothing | whether to use UEFI, this variable isn't usually set in test suites but in machine definition |
 
diff --git a/templates b/templates
index e5ac6325..a9a39ee8 100755
--- a/templates
+++ b/templates
@@ -1103,7 +1103,7 @@
                     {
                       name => "install_scsi_updates_img",
                       settings => [
-                        { key => "BOOT_UPDATES_IMG_URL", value => "1" },
+                        { key => "TEST_UPDATES", value => "1" },
                         { key => "GRUB", value => "inst.updates=https://fedorapeople.org/groups/qa/updates/updates-openqa.img" },
                         { key => "HDDMODEL", value => "virtio-scsi-pci" },
                         { key => "CDMODEL", value => "scsi-cd" },
@@ -1286,7 +1286,7 @@
                       settings => [
                         { key => "NUMDISKS", value => "2" },
                         { key => "HDD_2", value => "disk_updates_img_2.img" },
-                        { key => "BOOT_UPDATES_IMG_URL", value => "1" },
+                        { key => "TEST_UPDATES", value => "1" },
                         { key => "GRUB", value => "inst.updates=hd:LABEL=UPDATES_IMG:/updates.img" },
                       ],
                     },
diff --git a/tests/_boot_to_anaconda.pm b/tests/_boot_to_anaconda.pm
index f73999de..0423fcd7 100644
--- a/tests/_boot_to_anaconda.pm
+++ b/tests/_boot_to_anaconda.pm
@@ -34,9 +34,18 @@ sub run {
 
     }
 
+    # if GRUBADD is set, add that to kernel line too. this is for doing
+    # stuff like running the tests with an updates.img to test some
+    # anaconda change
+    if (get_var("GRUBADD")) {
+        # unless GRUB was also set, we need to get to the kernel line now
+        get_kernel_line unless (get_var("GRUB"));
+        type_string " ".get_var("GRUBADD");
+    }
+
     # if variable REPOSITORY_VARIATION is set, construct inst.repo url and add it to kernel line
     if (get_var("REPOSITORY_VARIATION")){
-        unless (get_var("GRUB")){
+        unless (get_var("GRUB") || get_var("GRUBADD")) {
             get_kernel_line;
         }
         my $repourl = "";
diff --git a/tests/disk_guided_empty.pm b/tests/disk_guided_empty.pm
index a9ebc660..ced18da4 100644
--- a/tests/disk_guided_empty.pm
+++ b/tests/disk_guided_empty.pm
@@ -10,7 +10,7 @@ sub run {
 
     # updates.img tests work by changing the appearance of the INSTALLATION
     # DESTINATION screen, so check that if needed.
-    if (get_var('BOOT_UPDATES_IMG_URL')){
+    if (get_var('TEST_UPDATES')){
         assert_screen "anaconda_install_destination_updates", 30;
     }