diff --git a/scripts/prepare-commit.sh b/scripts/prepare-commit.sh
index 82fa23f449b..5f81569f1a8 100755
--- a/scripts/prepare-commit.sh
+++ b/scripts/prepare-commit.sh
@@ -57,7 +57,8 @@ if [ -z "$MODIFIED" ]; then
   exit 0
 fi
 
-[ -x ${TOPLEVEL}/scripts/spell_check/check_spelling.sh ] && ${TOPLEVEL}/scripts/spell_check/check_spelling.sh $MODIFIED
+if [[ -n "$QGIS_CHECK_SPELLING" && -x ${TOPLEVEL}/scripts/spell_check/check_spelling.sh ]]; then ${TOPLEVEL}/scripts/spell_check/check_spelling.sh $MODIFIED; fi
+
 
 # save original changes
 REV=$(git log -n1 --pretty=%H)