diff --git a/changes/ticket32705_disable b/changes/ticket32705_disable
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..6d5b0779ab
--- /dev/null
+++ b/changes/ticket32705_disable
@@ -0,0 +1,7 @@
+  o Minor bugfixes (testing):
+    - When TOR_DISABLE_PRACTRACKER is set, do not apply it to the
+      test_practracker.sh script.  Doing so caused a test failure.
+      Fixes bug 32705; bugfix on 0.4.2.1-alpha.
+    - When TOR_DISABLE_PRACTRACKER is set, log a notice to stderr
+      when skipping practracker checks.
+      Fixes bug 32705; bugfix on 0.4.2.1-alpha.
diff --git a/scripts/maint/practracker/practracker.py b/scripts/maint/practracker/practracker.py
index f6aac9d15e..71741265f6 100755
--- a/scripts/maint/practracker/practracker.py
+++ b/scripts/maint/practracker/practracker.py
@@ -297,5 +297,7 @@ variable.
 
 if __name__ == '__main__':
     if os.environ.get("TOR_DISABLE_PRACTRACKER"):
+        print("TOR_DISABLE_PRACTRACKER is set, skipping practracker tests.",
+              file=sys.stderr)
         sys.exit(0)
     main(sys.argv)
diff --git a/scripts/maint/practracker/test_practracker.sh b/scripts/maint/practracker/test_practracker.sh
index 9b107e071d..207a5ceded 100755
--- a/scripts/maint/practracker/test_practracker.sh
+++ b/scripts/maint/practracker/test_practracker.sh
@@ -1,6 +1,7 @@
 #!/bin/sh
 
 umask 077
+unset TOR_DISABLE_PRACTRACKER
 
 TMPDIR=""
 clean () {