diff --git a/lib/app.ts b/lib/app.ts
index 1c3c80f1..d058a7cf 100644
--- a/lib/app.ts
+++ b/lib/app.ts
@@ -97,7 +97,7 @@ async function init() {
 async function oclifRun(command: string[], options: AppOptions) {
 	let deprecationPromise: Promise<void>;
 	// check and enforce the CLI's deprecation policy
-	if (unsupportedFlag) {
+	if (unsupportedFlag || process.env.BALENARC_UNSUPPORTED) {
 		deprecationPromise = Promise.resolve();
 	} else {
 		const { DeprecationChecker } = await import('./deprecation');
diff --git a/lib/deprecation.ts b/lib/deprecation.ts
index 8a3d8bb7..183ee233 100644
--- a/lib/deprecation.ts
+++ b/lib/deprecation.ts
@@ -38,7 +38,6 @@ export interface ReleaseTimestampsByVersion {
  * https://jel.ly.fish/ed8d2395-9323-418c-bb67-d11d32a17d00
  */
 export class DeprecationChecker {
-	protected static disabled = false; // for the benefit of testing
 	readonly majorVersionFetchIntervalDays = 7;
 	readonly expiryDays = 365;
 	readonly deprecationDays = Math.ceil(this.expiryDays / 2);
@@ -131,7 +130,7 @@ or release date not available`);
 	 * `majorVersionFetchIntervalDays`.
 	 */
 	public async checkForNewReleasesIfNeeded() {
-		if (DeprecationChecker.disabled) {
+		if (process.env.BALENARC_UNSUPPORTED) {
 			return; // for the benefit of code testing
 		}
 		await this.init();
@@ -182,7 +181,7 @@ or release date not available`);
 	 * in which case warn about it and conditionally throw an error.
 	 */
 	public async warnAndAbortIfDeprecated() {
-		if (DeprecationChecker.disabled) {
+		if (process.env.BALENARC_UNSUPPORTED) {
 			return; // for the benefit of code testing
 		}
 		await this.init();
@@ -228,14 +227,4 @@ continue using this version of the CLI. However, note that the balenaCloud
 or openBalena backends may be updated in a way that is no longer compatible
 with this CLI version.`;
 	}
-
-	/** Disable deprecation checks (for the benefit of code testing). */
-	public static disable() {
-		DeprecationChecker.disabled = true;
-	}
-
-	/** Re-enable deprecation checks (for the benefit of code testing). */
-	public static enable() {
-		DeprecationChecker.disabled = false;
-	}
 }
diff --git a/tests/config-tests.ts b/tests/config-tests.ts
index aa175e82..688595d5 100644
--- a/tests/config-tests.ts
+++ b/tests/config-tests.ts
@@ -23,8 +23,8 @@ setEsVersion('es2018');
 process.env.BALENARC_NO_SENTRY = '1';
 
 // Disable deprecation checks while running test code
-import { DeprecationChecker } from '../build/deprecation';
-DeprecationChecker.disable();
+// Like the global `--unsupported` flag
+process.env.BALENARC_UNSUPPORTED = '1';
 
 import * as tmp from 'tmp';
 tmp.setGracefulCleanup();
diff --git a/tests/deprecation.spec.ts b/tests/deprecation.spec.ts
index c261bc87..b6848de3 100644
--- a/tests/deprecation.spec.ts
+++ b/tests/deprecation.spec.ts
@@ -54,10 +54,16 @@ describe('DeprecationChecker', function () {
 		Parameters<typeof mockStorage.set>,
 		ReturnType<typeof mockStorage.set>
 	>;
+	let originalUnsupported: string | undefined;
 
-	// see also DeprecationChecker.disable() in tests/config-tests.ts
-	this.beforeAll(() => DeprecationChecker.enable());
-	this.afterAll(() => DeprecationChecker.disable());
+	this.beforeAll(() => {
+		// Temporarily undo settings from `tests/config-tests.ts`
+		originalUnsupported = process.env.BALENARC_UNSUPPORTED;
+		delete process.env.BALENARC_UNSUPPORTED;
+	});
+	this.afterAll(() => {
+		process.env.BALENARC_UNSUPPORTED = originalUnsupported;
+	});
 
 	this.beforeEach(() => {
 		npm = new NpmMock();