diff --git a/docs/what_tests_can_be_run.md b/docs/what_tests_can_be_run.md
index 778c10dd0834aa8046985528a310c973718855d8..8e1c39d0b13a80cafe73f59d5f0b3066daf06190 100644
--- a/docs/what_tests_can_be_run.md
+++ b/docs/what_tests_can_be_run.md
@@ -50,6 +50,7 @@ For more details on the internals, please read the
 * `QA_DEBUG` - set to `true` to verbosely log page object actions. Note: if enabled be aware that sensitive data might be logged. If an input element has a QA selector with `password` in the name, data entered into the input element will be masked. If the element doesn't have `password` in its name it won't be masked.
 * `QA_LOG_PATH` - path to output debug logging to. If not set logging will be output to STDOUT
 * `QA_CAN_TEST_GIT_PROTOCOL_V2` - set to `false` to skip tests that require Git protocol v2 if your environment doesn't support it.
+* `PERSONAL_ACCESS_TOKEN` - a [personal access token](https://docs.gitlab.com/ee/user/profile/personal_access_tokens.html) with `api` scope to allow API access and avoid the tests having to create a new one.
 
 ### `Test::Instance::Image CE|EE|<full image address>`
 
@@ -192,7 +193,7 @@ $ gitlab-qa Test::Integration::LDAPNoTLS EE
 
 ### `Test::Integration::LDAPTLS CE|EE|<full image address>`
 
-This tests that a TLS enabled GitLab instance works as expected with an external TLS enabled LDAP server. 
+This tests that a TLS enabled GitLab instance works as expected with an external TLS enabled LDAP server.
 The self signed TLS certificate used for the Gitlab instance and the private key is located at: [`gitlab-org/gitlab-qa@tls_certificates/gitlab`][test-integration-ldap-tls-certs]
 
 The certificate was generated with openssl using this command:
diff --git a/lib/gitlab/qa/runtime/env.rb b/lib/gitlab/qa/runtime/env.rb
index a1e7c01c9d6a7373c63feb45879224380860c2ef..022c4a737b11567ffba760c90c41a2020c86f73f 100644
--- a/lib/gitlab/qa/runtime/env.rb
+++ b/lib/gitlab/qa/runtime/env.rb
@@ -35,7 +35,8 @@ module Gitlab
           'GITLAB_QA_USERNAME_1' => :gitlab_qa_username_1,
           'GITLAB_QA_PASSWORD_1' => :gitlab_qa_password_1,
           'GITLAB_QA_USERNAME_2' => :gitlab_qa_username_2,
-          'GITLAB_QA_PASSWORD_2' => :gitlab_qa_password_2
+          'GITLAB_QA_PASSWORD_2' => :gitlab_qa_password_2,
+          'PERSONAL_ACCESS_TOKEN' => :personal_access_token
         }.freeze
 
         ENV_VARIABLES.each_value do |accessor|