diff --git a/README.rst b/README.rst
index f78c171..5ae0d09 100644
--- a/README.rst
+++ b/README.rst
@@ -83,3 +83,14 @@ must *exactly* match the image name used in your testenv's ``docker`` setting.
 tox-docker will print a message for each container that it is waiting on a
 health check from, whether via the container's built-in ``HEALTHCHECK`` or a
 custom health check.
+
+Port Scanning
+-------------
+
+Since version 1.0, tox-docker has scanned published ports of created containers
+to determine when the image is active. However, not all published ports may be
+active at a given time which can result in errors. As of version 1.5, tox-docker
+allows you to disable this behavior if necessary, in a new section like::
+
+    [docker:mysql:5.6]
+    skip_port_validation = True
diff --git a/docs/source/conf.py b/docs/source/conf.py
index 505216b..da259bb 100644
--- a/docs/source/conf.py
+++ b/docs/source/conf.py
@@ -26,6 +26,7 @@
 # extensions coming with Sphinx (named 'sphinx.ext.*') or your custom
 # ones.
 extensions = [
+    'reno.sphinxext',
 ]
 
 # -- Options for HTML output -------------------------------------------------
diff --git a/docs/source/index.rst b/docs/source/index.rst
index a6210d3..25afb15 100644
--- a/docs/source/index.rst
+++ b/docs/source/index.rst
@@ -1 +1,6 @@
 .. include:: ../../README.rst
+
+Release notes
+-------------
+
+.. release-notes::
diff --git a/releasenotes/config.yaml b/releasenotes/config.yaml
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..a79ee85
--- /dev/null
+++ b/releasenotes/config.yaml
@@ -0,0 +1,11 @@
+---
+earliest_version: v1.4.0
+release_tag_re: 'v\d\.\d\.\d(rc\d+)?'
+sections:
+  # The prelude section is implicitly included.
+  - [features, New Features]
+  - [issues, Known Issues]
+  - [upgrade, Upgrade Notes]
+  - [deprecations, Deprecation Notes]
+  - [fixes, Bug Fixes]
+  - [other, Other Notes]
diff --git a/releasenotes/notes/add-skip_port_validation-flag-40921e653b8feb05.yaml b/releasenotes/notes/add-skip_port_validation-flag-40921e653b8feb05.yaml
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..76a5fc1
--- /dev/null
+++ b/releasenotes/notes/add-skip_port_validation-flag-40921e653b8feb05.yaml
@@ -0,0 +1,10 @@
+---
+features:
+  - |
+    A new ``skip_port_validation`` flag is added. This can be used to disable
+    port scanning for created instances and is useful for images that provide
+    optional port. It can be configured for each image in a ``[docker:IMAGE]``
+    section. For example::
+
+        [docker:mysql:8.0]
+        skip_port_validation = True
diff --git a/tox.ini b/tox.ini
index da12773..7a17c40 100644
--- a/tox.ini
+++ b/tox.ini
@@ -12,6 +12,7 @@ deps =
     sphinx
     sphinx_rtd_theme
     vcversioner
+    reno
 commands = sphinx-build -W -b html docs/source docs/build/html
 commands_pre =
 commands_post =
diff --git a/tox_docker.py b/tox_docker.py
index 09e6c93..f480110 100644
--- a/tox_docker.py
+++ b/tox_docker.py
@@ -100,6 +100,7 @@ def getint(reader, key):
             "healthcheck_timeout": gettime(reader, "healthcheck_timeout"),
             "healthcheck_retries": getint(reader, "healthcheck_retries"),
             "healthcheck_start_period": gettime(reader, "healthcheck_start_period"),
+            "skip_port_validation": reader.getbool("skip_port_validation", default=False),
         }
 
     config._docker_image_configs = image_configs
@@ -225,6 +226,10 @@ def tox_runtest_pre(venv):
             if proto == "udp":
                 continue
 
+            # skip port validation if user requests it
+            if image_configs[image]["skip_port_validation"]:
+                continue
+
             # mostly-busy-loop until we can connect to that port; that
             # will be our signal that the container is ready (meh)
             start = time.time()