diff --git a/.github/workflows/test.yml b/.github/workflows/test.yml
index 671bf5d6..2255fc78 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/test.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/test.yml
@@ -77,6 +77,10 @@ jobs:
         #   Tests everything when the user instances are started with
         #   jupyter_server instead of notebook.
         #
+        # ssl:
+        #   Tests everything using internal SSL connections instead of
+        #   unencrypted HTTP
+        #
         # main_dependencies:
         #   Tests everything when the we use the latest available dependencies
         #   from: ipytraitlets.
@@ -91,6 +95,7 @@ jobs:
             db: mysql
           - python: "3.8"
             db: postgres
+            ssl: enabled
           - python: "3.8"
             jupyter_server: jupyter_server
           - python: "3.9"
@@ -109,6 +114,9 @@ jobs:
               echo "MYSQL_HOST=127.0.0.1" >> $GITHUB_ENV
               echo "JUPYTERHUB_TEST_DB_URL=mysql+mysqlconnector://root@127.0.0.1:3306/jupyterhub" >> $GITHUB_ENV
           fi
+          if [ "${{ matrix.ssl }}" == "enabled" ]; then
+              echo "SSL_ENABLED=1" >> $GITHUB_ENV
+          fi
           if [ "${{ matrix.db }}" == "postgres" ]; then
               echo "PGHOST=127.0.0.1" >> $GITHUB_ENV
               echo "PGUSER=test_user" >> $GITHUB_ENV
diff --git a/jupyterhub/tests/conftest.py b/jupyterhub/tests/conftest.py
index 7126baa7..000de730 100644
--- a/jupyterhub/tests/conftest.py
+++ b/jupyterhub/tests/conftest.py
@@ -74,7 +74,11 @@ def ssl_tmpdir(tmpdir_factory):
 def app(request, io_loop, ssl_tmpdir):
     """Mock a jupyterhub app for testing"""
     mocked_app = None
-    ssl_enabled = getattr(request.module, "ssl_enabled", False)
+    if 'SSL_ENABLED' in os.environ:
+        ssl_env_var = bool(os.environ['SSL_ENABLED'])
+    else:
+        ssl_env_var = False
+    ssl_enabled = getattr(request.module, "ssl_enabled", ssl_env_var)
     kwargs = dict()
     if ssl_enabled:
         kwargs.update(dict(internal_ssl=True, internal_certs_location=str(ssl_tmpdir)))
diff --git a/jupyterhub/tests/test_internal_ssl_api.py b/jupyterhub/tests/test_internal_ssl_api.py
deleted file mode 100644
index 17349ae6..00000000
--- a/jupyterhub/tests/test_internal_ssl_api.py
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,6 +0,0 @@
-"""Tests for the SSL enabled REST API."""
-# Copyright (c) Jupyter Development Team.
-# Distributed under the terms of the Modified BSD License.
-from jupyterhub.tests.test_api import *
-
-ssl_enabled = True
diff --git a/jupyterhub/tests/test_internal_ssl_app.py b/jupyterhub/tests/test_internal_ssl_app.py
deleted file mode 100644
index cae0519b..00000000
--- a/jupyterhub/tests/test_internal_ssl_app.py
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,7 +0,0 @@
-"""Test the JupyterHub entry point with internal ssl"""
-# Copyright (c) Jupyter Development Team.
-# Distributed under the terms of the Modified BSD License.
-import jupyterhub.tests.mocking
-from jupyterhub.tests.test_app import *
-
-ssl_enabled = True
diff --git a/jupyterhub/tests/test_internal_ssl_spawner.py b/jupyterhub/tests/test_internal_ssl_spawner.py
deleted file mode 100644
index 85ea5ccd..00000000
--- a/jupyterhub/tests/test_internal_ssl_spawner.py
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,6 +0,0 @@
-"""Tests for process spawning with internal_ssl"""
-# Copyright (c) Jupyter Development Team.
-# Distributed under the terms of the Modified BSD License.
-from jupyterhub.tests.test_spawner import *
-
-ssl_enabled = True