diff --git a/asterixdb/pom.xml b/asterixdb/pom.xml
index c1ee08f..a710303 100644
--- a/asterixdb/pom.xml
+++ b/asterixdb/pom.xml
@@ -62,6 +62,8 @@
     <skip.surefire.tests>${skipTests}</skip.surefire.tests>
     <skip.testResources>${maven.test.skip}</skip.testResources>
     <testLog4jConfigFile>${root.dir}/asterix-app/src/test/resources/log4j2-asterixdb-test.xml</testLog4jConfigFile>
+    <extraSurefireArgLine/>
+    <extraFailsafeArgLine/>
 
     <!-- Definition of tests in various categories which may be excluded -->
     <repeated.tests>**/RepeatedTest.java</repeated.tests>
@@ -146,6 +148,7 @@
             -Xdebug
             -Xrunjdwp:transport=dt_socket,server=y,address=8000,suspend=${debug.suspend.flag}
             ${coverageArgLine}
+            ${extraSurefireArgLine}
           </argLine>
           <includes>
             <include>${test.includes}</include>
@@ -163,7 +166,10 @@
           <runOrder>alphabetical</runOrder>
           <forkCount>1</forkCount>
           <reuseForks>false</reuseForks>
-          <argLine>${coverageArgLine}</argLine>
+          <argLine>
+            ${coverageArgLine}
+            ${extraFailsafeArgLine}
+          </argLine>
           <systemProperties>
             <log4j.configurationFile>${testLog4jConfigFile}</log4j.configurationFile>
           </systemProperties>