diff --git a/botorch/test_utils/__init__.py b/botorch/test_utils/__init__.py
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..3a89f80f66
--- /dev/null
+++ b/botorch/test_utils/__init__.py
@@ -0,0 +1,16 @@
+#!/usr/bin/env python3
+# Copyright (c) Meta Platforms, Inc. and affiliates.
+#
+# This source code is licensed under the MIT license found in the
+# LICENSE file in the root directory of this source tree.
+
+"""
+test_utils has its own directory with 'botorch/' to avoid circular dependencies:
+Anything in 'tests/' can depend on anything in 'botorch/test_utils/', and
+anything in 'botorch/test_utils/' can depend on anything in the rest of
+'botorch/'.
+"""
+
+from botorch.test_utils.mock import fast_optimize
+
+__all__ = ["fast_optimize"]
diff --git a/botorch/test_utils/mock.py b/botorch/test_utils/mock.py
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..b4b1147700
--- /dev/null
+++ b/botorch/test_utils/mock.py
@@ -0,0 +1,123 @@
+#!/usr/bin/env python3
+# Copyright (c) Meta Platforms, Inc. and affiliates.
+#
+# This source code is licensed under the MIT license found in the
+# LICENSE file in the root directory of this source tree.
+
+"""
+Utilities for speeding up optimization in tests.
+
+"""
+
+from collections.abc import Generator
+from contextlib import contextmanager, ExitStack
+from functools import wraps
+from typing import Any, Callable
+from unittest import mock
+
+from botorch.optim.initializers import (
+    gen_batch_initial_conditions,
+    gen_one_shot_kg_initial_conditions,
+)
+
+from botorch.optim.utils.timeout import minimize_with_timeout
+from scipy.optimize import OptimizeResult
+from torch import Tensor
+
+
+@contextmanager
+def fast_optimize_context_manager(
+    force: bool = False,
+) -> Generator[None, None, None]:
+    """A context manager to force botorch to speed up optimization. Currently, the
+    primary tactic is to force the underlying scipy methods to stop after just one
+    iteration.
+
+        force: If True will not raise an AssertionError if no mocks are called.
+            USE RESPONSIBLY.
+    """
+
+    def one_iteration_minimize(*args: Any, **kwargs: Any) -> OptimizeResult:
+        if kwargs["options"] is None:
+            kwargs["options"] = {}
+
+        kwargs["options"]["maxiter"] = 1
+        return minimize_with_timeout(*args, **kwargs)
+
+    def minimal_gen_ics(*args: Any, **kwargs: Any) -> Tensor:
+        kwargs["num_restarts"] = 2
+        kwargs["raw_samples"] = 4
+
+        return gen_batch_initial_conditions(*args, **kwargs)
+
+    def minimal_gen_os_ics(*args: Any, **kwargs: Any) -> Tensor | None:
+        kwargs["num_restarts"] = 2
+        kwargs["raw_samples"] = 4
+
+        return gen_one_shot_kg_initial_conditions(*args, **kwargs)
+
+    with ExitStack() as es:
+        # Note this `minimize_with_timeout` is defined in optim.utils.timeout;
+        # this mock only has an effect when calling a function used in
+        # `botorch.generation.gen`, such as `gen_candidates_scipy`.
+        mock_generation = es.enter_context(
+            mock.patch(
+                "botorch.generation.gen.minimize_with_timeout",
+                wraps=one_iteration_minimize,
+            )
+        )
+
+        # Similarly, works when using calling a function defined in
+        # `optim.core`, such as `scipy_minimize` and `torch_minimize`.
+        mock_fit = es.enter_context(
+            mock.patch(
+                "botorch.optim.core.minimize_with_timeout",
+                wraps=one_iteration_minimize,
+            )
+        )
+
+        # Works when calling a function in `optim.optimize` such as
+        # `optimize_acqf`
+        mock_gen_ics = es.enter_context(
+            mock.patch(
+                "botorch.optim.optimize.gen_batch_initial_conditions",
+                wraps=minimal_gen_ics,
+            )
+        )
+
+        # Works when calling a function in `optim.optimize` such as
+        # `optimize_acqf`
+        mock_gen_os_ics = es.enter_context(
+            mock.patch(
+                "botorch.optim.optimize.gen_one_shot_kg_initial_conditions",
+                wraps=minimal_gen_os_ics,
+            )
+        )
+
+        yield
+
+    if (not force) and all(
+        mock_.call_count < 1
+        for mock_ in [
+            mock_generation,
+            mock_fit,
+            mock_gen_ics,
+            mock_gen_os_ics,
+        ]
+    ):
+        raise AssertionError(
+            "No mocks were called in the context manager. Please remove unused "
+            "fast_botorch_optimize_context_manager()."
+        )
+
+
+def fast_optimize(f: Callable) -> Callable:
+    """Wraps f in the fast_botorch_optimize_context_manager for use as a decorator."""
+
+    @wraps(f)
+    # pyre-fixme[3]: Return type must be annotated.
+    def inner(*args: Any, **kwargs: Any):
+        with fast_optimize_context_manager():
+            return f(*args, **kwargs)
+
+    return inner
diff --git a/sphinx/source/index.rst b/sphinx/source/index.rst
index dd819d2acb..f715932b9a 100644
--- a/sphinx/source/index.rst
+++ b/sphinx/source/index.rst
@@ -22,6 +22,7 @@ BoTorch API Reference
    settings
    logging
    test_functions
+   test_utils
    exceptions
    utils
 
diff --git a/sphinx/source/test_utils.rst b/sphinx/source/test_utils.rst
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..71aa2d9214
--- /dev/null
+++ b/sphinx/source/test_utils.rst
@@ -0,0 +1,12 @@
+.. role:: hidden
+    :class: hidden-section
+
+
+botorch.test_utils
+========================================================
+.. automodule:: botorch.test_utils
+
+Mock
+~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
+.. automodule:: botorch.test_utils.mock
+		:members:
diff --git a/test/test_utils/test_mock.py b/test/test_utils/test_mock.py
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..243e970a38
--- /dev/null
+++ b/test/test_utils/test_mock.py
@@ -0,0 +1,58 @@
+#!/usr/bin/env python3
+# Copyright (c) Meta Platforms, Inc. and affiliates.
+#
+# This source code is licensed under the MIT license found in the
+# LICENSE file in the root directory of this source tree.
+
+
+import torch
+from botorch.generation.gen import gen_candidates_scipy
+from botorch.optim.core import scipy_minimize
+from botorch.optim.optimize import optimize_acqf
+
+from botorch.test_utils.mock import fast_optimize
+from botorch.utils.testing import BotorchTestCase, MockAcquisitionFunction
+
+
+class SinAcqusitionFunction(MockAcquisitionFunction):
+    """Simple acquisition function with known numerical properties."""
+
+    def __init__(self, *args, **kwargs):
+        return
+
+    def __call__(self, X):
+        return torch.sin(X[..., 0].max(dim=-1).values)
+
+
+class TestMock(BotorchTestCase):
+    @fast_optimize
+    def test_fast_optimize(self):
+        with self.subTest("gen_candidates_scipy"):
+            cand, value = gen_candidates_scipy(
+                initial_conditions=torch.tensor([[0.0]]),
+                acquisition_function=SinAcqusitionFunction(),
+            )
+            # When not using `fast_optimize`, the value is 1.0. With it, the value is
+            # around 0.84
+            self.assertLess(value.item(), 0.99)
+
+        with self.subTest("scipy_minimize"):
+            x = torch.tensor([0.0])
+
+            def closure():
+                return torch.sin(x), [torch.cos(x)]
+
+            result = scipy_minimize(closure=closure, parameters={"x": x})
+            self.assertEqual(
+                result.message, "STOP: TOTAL NO. of ITERATIONS REACHED LIMIT"
+            )
+
+        with self.subTest("optimize_acqf"):
+            cand, value = optimize_acqf(
+                acq_function=SinAcqusitionFunction(),
+                bounds=torch.tensor([[-2.0], [2.0]]),
+                q=1,
+                num_restarts=32,
+                batch_initial_conditions=torch.tensor([[0.0]]),
+            )
+            self.assertLess(value.item(), 0.99)