diff --git a/examples/external-mysql/run-tests.sh b/examples/external-mysql/run-tests.sh
index 6815b29..aeaf627 100755
--- a/examples/external-mysql/run-tests.sh
+++ b/examples/external-mysql/run-tests.sh
@@ -12,11 +12,24 @@ source "${SCRIPTPATH}/../../.github/scripts/parse-versions.sh"
 # shellcheck source=/dev/null
 source "${TESTDIR}/common.sh"
 
+CLEANUP=1
+
+for i in "$@"; do
+  case $i in
+    -c)
+      CLEANUP=0
+      shift # past argument=value
+      ;;
+  esac
+done
+
 teardown() {
-  helm uninstall --namespace "spire-server" spire 2>/dev/null || true
-  helm uninstall --namespace mysql mysql 2>/dev/null || true
-  kubectl delete ns spire-server 2>/dev/null || true
-  kubectl delete ns spire-system 2>/dev/null || true
+  if [ "${CLEANUP}" -eq 1 ]; then
+    helm uninstall --namespace "spire-server" spire 2>/dev/null || true
+    helm uninstall --namespace mysql mysql 2>/dev/null || true
+    kubectl delete ns spire-server 2>/dev/null || true
+    kubectl delete ns spire-system 2>/dev/null || true
+  fi
 }
 
 trap 'trap - SIGTERM && teardown' SIGINT SIGTERM EXIT
diff --git a/examples/external-postgresql/run-tests.sh b/examples/external-postgresql/run-tests.sh
index 388da84..8cfe700 100755
--- a/examples/external-postgresql/run-tests.sh
+++ b/examples/external-postgresql/run-tests.sh
@@ -12,11 +12,24 @@ source "${SCRIPTPATH}/../../.github/scripts/parse-versions.sh"
 # shellcheck source=/dev/null
 source "${TESTDIR}/common.sh"
 
+CLEANUP=1
+
+for i in "$@"; do
+  case $i in
+    -c)
+      CLEANUP=0
+      shift # past argument=value
+      ;;
+  esac
+done
+
 teardown() {
-  helm uninstall --namespace "spire-server" spire 2>/dev/null || true
-  helm uninstall --namespace "spire-server" postgresql 2>/dev/null || true
-  kubectl delete ns spire-server 2>/dev/null || true
-  kubectl delete ns spire-system 2>/dev/null || true
+  if [ "${CLEANUP}" -eq 1 ]; then
+    helm uninstall --namespace "spire-server" spire 2>/dev/null || true
+    helm uninstall --namespace "spire-server" postgresql 2>/dev/null || true
+    kubectl delete ns spire-server 2>/dev/null || true
+    kubectl delete ns spire-system 2>/dev/null || true
+  fi
 }
 
 trap 'trap - SIGTERM && teardown' SIGINT SIGTERM EXIT
diff --git a/examples/nested/run-tests.sh b/examples/nested/run-tests.sh
index 0bace5d..c394c56 100755
--- a/examples/nested/run-tests.sh
+++ b/examples/nested/run-tests.sh
@@ -12,13 +12,26 @@ source "${SCRIPTPATH}/../../.github/scripts/parse-versions.sh"
 # shellcheck source=/dev/null
 source "${TESTDIR}/common.sh"
 
-teardown() {
-  helm uninstall --namespace spire-server spire 2>/dev/null || true
-  kubectl delete ns spire-server 2>/dev/null || true
-  kubectl delete ns spire-system 2>/dev/null || true
+CLEANUP=1
 
-  helm uninstall --namespace mysql spire-root-server 2>/dev/null || true
-  kubectl delete ns spire-root-server 2>/dev/null || true
+for i in "$@"; do
+  case $i in
+    -c)
+      CLEANUP=0
+      shift # past argument=value
+      ;;
+  esac
+done
+
+teardown() {
+  if [ "${CLEANUP}" -eq 1 ]; then
+    helm uninstall --namespace spire-server spire 2>/dev/null || true
+    kubectl delete ns spire-server 2>/dev/null || true
+    kubectl delete ns spire-system 2>/dev/null || true
+
+    helm uninstall --namespace mysql spire-root-server 2>/dev/null || true
+    kubectl delete ns spire-root-server 2>/dev/null || true
+  fi
 }
 
 trap 'trap - SIGTERM && teardown' SIGINT SIGTERM EXIT
diff --git a/examples/tornjak/run-tests.sh b/examples/tornjak/run-tests.sh
index e4449cd..f911ee0 100755
--- a/examples/tornjak/run-tests.sh
+++ b/examples/tornjak/run-tests.sh
@@ -12,9 +12,22 @@ source "${TESTDIR}/common.sh"
 helm_install=(helm upgrade --install --create-namespace)
 ns=spire-system
 
+CLEANUP=1
+
+for i in "$@"; do
+  case $i in
+    -c)
+      CLEANUP=0
+      shift # past argument=value
+      ;;
+  esac
+done
+
 teardown() {
-  helm uninstall --namespace "${ns}" spire 2>/dev/null || true
-  kubectl delete ns "${ns}" 2>/dev/null || true
+  if [ "${CLEANUP}" -eq 1 ]; then
+    helm uninstall --namespace "${ns}" spire 2>/dev/null || true
+    kubectl delete ns "${ns}" 2>/dev/null || true
+  fi
 }
 
 trap 'trap - SIGTERM && teardown' SIGINT SIGTERM EXIT