diff --git a/conda_build/build.py b/conda_build/build.py
index 9e473facc9..6f11e14529 100644
--- a/conda_build/build.py
+++ b/conda_build/build.py
@@ -3483,6 +3483,19 @@ def test(
     if metadata.config.remove_work_dir:
         env["SRC_DIR"] = metadata.config.test_dir
 
+    for var in utils.ensure_list(metadata.get_value("test/script_env")):
+        if "=" in var:
+            val = var.split("=", 1)[1]
+            var = var.split("=", 1)[0]
+            env[var] = val
+        elif var not in os.environ:
+            warnings.warn(
+                f"The environment variable '{var}' specified in test/script_env is undefined.",
+                UserWarning,
+            )
+        else:
+            env[var] = os.environ[var]
+
     test_script, _ = write_test_scripts(
         metadata, env, py_files, pl_files, lua_files, r_files, shell_files, trace
     )
diff --git a/conda_build/metadata.py b/conda_build/metadata.py
index 54961d0b47..379b68a3e7 100644
--- a/conda_build/metadata.py
+++ b/conda_build/metadata.py
@@ -727,6 +727,7 @@ def parse(data, config, path=None):
         "files": list,
         "imports": list,
         "source_files": list,
+        "script_env": list,
         "downstreams": list,
     },
     "about": {
diff --git a/docs/source/resources/define-metadata.rst b/docs/source/resources/define-metadata.rst
index 1ccf6f201c..0461346b10 100644
--- a/docs/source/resources/define-metadata.rst
+++ b/docs/source/resources/define-metadata.rst
@@ -772,6 +772,8 @@ disable this with:
      include_recipe: False
 
 
+.. _script-env:
+
 Use environment variables
 -------------------------
 
@@ -1282,6 +1284,40 @@ Commands that are run as part of the test.
        - bspatch4 -h
 
 
+.. _test-script-env:
+
+Test environment variables
+---------------------------
+
+Pass environment variables through to the test environment.
+This works identically to :ref:`build/script_env <script-env>`.
+
+.. code-block:: yaml
+
+   test:
+     script_env:
+       - MYVAR
+       - ANOTHER_VAR
+
+If a listed environment variable is missing from the environment
+seen by the conda-build process itself, a UserWarning is
+emitted during the test phase and the variable remains
+undefined.
+
+Values can also be set inline with ``=`` syntax:
+
+.. code-block:: yaml
+
+   test:
+     script_env:
+       - MY_VAR=some value
+
+.. note::
+   Environment variables inherited via ``test/script_env`` are only
+   visible during the test phase, not the build phase. Use
+   :ref:`build/script_env <script-env>` for build-time variables.
+
+
 Python imports
 --------------
 
diff --git a/docs/source/user-guide/environment-variables.rst b/docs/source/user-guide/environment-variables.rst
index 1689b9106b..0e0a14d16a 100644
--- a/docs/source/user-guide/environment-variables.rst
+++ b/docs/source/user-guide/environment-variables.rst
@@ -327,6 +327,16 @@ Additionally, values can be set by including ``=`` followed by the desired value
    this feature with caution or explicitly set values using the ``=``
    syntax.
 
+This feature can also be used in the :ref:`test section <test-script-env>` of
+``meta.yaml`` to pass environment variables to the test phase:
+
+.. code-block:: yaml
+
+   test:
+     script_env:
+      - TMPDIR
+      - MY_VAR=some value
+
 .. note::
    If you split your build and test phases with ``--no-test`` and ``--test``,
    you need to ensure that the environment variables present at build time and test
diff --git a/news/4940-test-script-env b/news/4940-test-script-env
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..36a35ed623
--- /dev/null
+++ b/news/4940-test-script-env
@@ -0,0 +1,7 @@
+### Enhancements
+
+* Allow setting environment variables in the test section via `test/script_env`, matching the existing `build/script_env` feature. (#4940)
+
+### Docs
+
+* Document `test/script_env` in the test section reference.
diff --git a/tests/test_api_build.py b/tests/test_api_build.py
index 5e002acfb2..5be113a0f0 100644
--- a/tests/test_api_build.py
+++ b/tests/test_api_build.py
@@ -2008,6 +2008,53 @@ def assert_keyword(keyword):
         os.environ.pop(token)
 
 
+@pytest.mark.sanity
+def test_test_script_env_warnings(testing_config, testing_workdir, recwarn):
+    os.makedirs("recipe")
+    with open("recipe/meta.yaml", "w") as f:
+        f.write("""
+package:
+  name: test-script-env-test
+  version: "1.0"
+
+build:
+  number: 0
+
+test:
+  script_env:
+    - TEST_VAR
+  commands:
+    - echo "test"
+""")
+    for empty in ("build.sh", "bld.bat"):
+        open(f"recipe/{empty}", "w").close()
+
+    token = "TEST_VAR"
+
+    def assert_undefined_warning_present():
+        messages = [str(w.message) for w in recwarn.list]
+        assert any(
+            token in m and "test/script_env" in m and "undefined" in m for m in messages
+        )
+
+    def assert_undefined_warning_absent():
+        messages = [str(w.message) for w in recwarn.list]
+        assert not any(
+            token in m and "test/script_env" in m and "undefined" in m for m in messages
+        )
+
+    api.build("recipe", config=testing_config)
+    assert_undefined_warning_present()
+    recwarn.clear()
+
+    os.environ[token] = "value"
+    try:
+        api.build("recipe", config=testing_config)
+        assert_undefined_warning_absent()
+    finally:
+        os.environ.pop(token)
+
+
 @pytest.mark.slow
 def test_activated_prefixes_in_actual_path(testing_metadata):
     """