diff --git a/spring-test/src/main/java/org/springframework/test/context/RetainApplicationContext.java b/spring-test/src/main/java/org/springframework/test/context/RetainApplicationContext.java
new file mode 100644
index 000000000000..8d79888e7b5d
--- /dev/null
+++ b/spring-test/src/main/java/org/springframework/test/context/RetainApplicationContext.java
@@ -0,0 +1,28 @@
+package org.springframework.test.context;
+
+import java.lang.annotation.ElementType;
+import java.lang.annotation.Inherited;
+import java.lang.annotation.Retention;
+import java.lang.annotation.RetentionPolicy;
+import java.lang.annotation.Target;
+
+/**
+ * Indicates that the {@link org.springframework.context.ApplicationContext}
+ * associated with the test should be retained between test classes and
+ * not paused when it is reused from the context cache.
+ *
+ * <p>This is an opt-in mechanism intended for tests that rely on expensive
+ * {@link org.springframework.context.SmartLifecycle} components whose
+ * stop/start cycles significantly impact test performance.
+ *
+ * <p>When a test class is annotated with {@code @RetainApplicationContext},
+ * the application context will <em>not</em> be paused or restarted between
+ * test classes, even if the context would normally be considered unused.
+ *
+ * @since 7.0
+ */
+@Target(ElementType.TYPE)
+@Retention(RetentionPolicy.RUNTIME)
+@Inherited
+public @interface RetainApplicationContext {
+}
diff --git a/spring-test/src/main/java/org/springframework/test/context/support/DefaultTestContext.java b/spring-test/src/main/java/org/springframework/test/context/support/DefaultTestContext.java
index 850c752dac27..e778b30693a2 100644
--- a/spring-test/src/main/java/org/springframework/test/context/support/DefaultTestContext.java
+++ b/spring-test/src/main/java/org/springframework/test/context/support/DefaultTestContext.java
@@ -25,14 +25,12 @@
 
 import org.springframework.context.ApplicationContext;
 import org.springframework.context.ConfigurableApplicationContext;
+import org.springframework.core.annotation.AnnotatedElementUtils;
 import org.springframework.core.style.DefaultToStringStyler;
 import org.springframework.core.style.SimpleValueStyler;
 import org.springframework.core.style.ToStringCreator;
 import org.springframework.test.annotation.DirtiesContext.HierarchyMode;
-import org.springframework.test.context.CacheAwareContextLoaderDelegate;
-import org.springframework.test.context.MergedContextConfiguration;
-import org.springframework.test.context.MethodInvoker;
-import org.springframework.test.context.TestContext;
+import org.springframework.test.context.*;
 import org.springframework.util.Assert;
 import org.springframework.util.StringUtils;
 
@@ -145,16 +143,28 @@ public ApplicationContext getApplicationContext() {
 	 * with this test context as <em>unused</em> so that it can be safely
 	 * {@linkplain org.springframework.context.ConfigurableApplicationContext#pause() paused}
 	 * if no other test classes are actively using the same application context.
+	 *
+	 * <p>When a test class is annotated with {@link RetainApplicationContext}, the
+	 * application context will <em>not</em> be marked as unused and will be retained
+	 * between test classes. This is intended for tests that rely on expensive
+	 * {@link org.springframework.context.SmartLifecycle} components whose stop/start
+	 * cycles significantly impact test performance.
+	 *
 	 * <p>The default implementation delegates to the {@link CacheAwareContextLoaderDelegate}
 	 * that was supplied when this {@code TestContext} was constructed.
+	 *
 	 * @since 7.0
 	 * @see CacheAwareContextLoaderDelegate#unregisterContextUsage(MergedContextConfiguration, Class)
+	 * @see RetainApplicationContext
 	 */
 	@Override
 	public void markApplicationContextUnused() {
-		this.cacheAwareContextLoaderDelegate.unregisterContextUsage(this.mergedConfig, this.testClass);
+		if (!AnnotatedElementUtils.hasAnnotation(this.testClass, RetainApplicationContext.class)) {
+			this.cacheAwareContextLoaderDelegate.unregisterContextUsage(this.mergedConfig, this.testClass);
+		}
 	}
 
+
 	/**
 	 * Mark the {@linkplain ApplicationContext application context} associated
 	 * with this test context as <em>dirty</em> (i.e., by removing it from the