diff --git a/components/odh-notebook-controller/Makefile b/components/odh-notebook-controller/Makefile
index 8c223728285..33203c20857 100644
--- a/components/odh-notebook-controller/Makefile
+++ b/components/odh-notebook-controller/Makefile
@@ -87,7 +87,14 @@ vet: ## Run go vet against code.
 	go vet ./...
 
 .PHONY: test
-test: manifests generate fmt vet envtest ## Run tests.
+test: test-with-rbac-false test-with-rbac-true
+test-with-rbac-false: manifests generate fmt vet envtest ## Run tests.
+	export SET_PIPELINE_RBAC=false && \
+	ACK_GINKGO_DEPRECATIONS=1.16.5 \
+	KUBEBUILDER_ASSETS="$(shell $(ENVTEST) use $(ENVTEST_K8S_VERSION) -p path)" \
+		go test ./controllers/... -ginkgo.v -ginkgo.progress -test.v -coverprofile cover.out
+test-with-rbac-true: manifests generate fmt vet envtest ## Run tests.
+	export SET_PIPELINE_RBAC=true && \
 	ACK_GINKGO_DEPRECATIONS=1.16.5 \
 	KUBEBUILDER_ASSETS="$(shell $(ENVTEST) use $(ENVTEST_K8S_VERSION) -p path)" \
 		go test ./controllers/... -ginkgo.v -ginkgo.progress -test.v -coverprofile cover.out
diff --git a/components/odh-notebook-controller/controllers/notebook_controller_test.go b/components/odh-notebook-controller/controllers/notebook_controller_test.go
index 03c982a0fc3..9d6c1bace4c 100644
--- a/components/odh-notebook-controller/controllers/notebook_controller_test.go
+++ b/components/odh-notebook-controller/controllers/notebook_controller_test.go
@@ -17,7 +17,9 @@ package controllers
 
 import (
 	"context"
+	"fmt"
 	"io/ioutil"
+	"os"
 	"strings"
 	"time"
 
@@ -163,7 +165,7 @@ var _ = Describe("The Openshift Notebook controller", func() {
 	})
 
 	// New test case for RoleBinding reconciliation
-	When("ReconcileRoleBindings is called for a Notebook", func() {
+	When("Reconcile RoleBindings is called for a Notebook", func() {
 		const (
 			name      = "test-notebook-rolebinding"
 			namespace = "default"
@@ -174,6 +176,14 @@ var _ = Describe("The Openshift Notebook controller", func() {
 		roleRefName := "ds-pipeline-user-access-dspa"
 		roleBindingName := "elyra-pipelines-" + name
 
+		BeforeEach(func() {
+			// Skip the tests if SET_PIPELINE_RBAC is not set to "true"
+			fmt.Printf("SET_PIPELINE_RBAC is: %s\n", os.Getenv("SET_PIPELINE_RBAC"))
+			if os.Getenv("SET_PIPELINE_RBAC") != "true" {
+				Skip("Skipping RoleBinding reconciliation tests as SET_PIPELINE_RBAC is not set to 'true'")
+			}
+		})
+
 		It("Should create a RoleBinding when the referenced Role exists", func() {
 			ctx := context.Background()