diff --git a/osc/build.py b/osc/build.py
index 40d2e3763..fb19817e6 100644
--- a/osc/build.py
+++ b/osc/build.py
@@ -804,6 +804,8 @@ def main(apiurl, store, opts, argv):
         buildargs.append('--norootforbuild')
     if opts.clean:
         buildargs.append('--clean')
+    if opts.checks:
+        buildargs.append('--checks')
     if opts.nochecks:
         buildargs.append('--no-checks')
     if not opts.no_changelog:
diff --git a/osc/commandline.py b/osc/commandline.py
index 61bb1c770..1ce492564 100644
--- a/osc/commandline.py
+++ b/osc/commandline.py
@@ -7170,6 +7170,8 @@ def parse_repoarchdescr(self, args, noinit=False, alternative_project=None, igno
                   help='Copy overlay filesystem to buildroot after installing all RPMs .')
     @cmdln.option('--noinit', '--no-init', action='store_true',
                   help='Skip initialization of build root and start with build immediately.')
+    @cmdln.option('--checks', action='store_true',
+                  help='Explicit run checks, if disabled in build config')
     @cmdln.option('--nochecks', '--no-checks', action='store_true',
                   help='Do not run build checks on the resulting packages.')
     @cmdln.option('--no-verify', '--noverify', action='store_true',