diff --git a/_pytest/terminal.py b/_pytest/terminal.py
index 930a0c507ca..92bf172cb78 100644
--- a/_pytest/terminal.py
+++ b/_pytest/terminal.py
@@ -52,7 +52,7 @@ def pytest_addoption(parser):
                      help="color terminal output (yes/no/auto).")
 
     parser.addini("console_output_style",
-                  help="console output: classic or with additional progress information.",
+                  help="console output: classic or with additional progress information (classic|progress).",
                   default='progress')
 
 
@@ -300,7 +300,10 @@ def pytest_runtest_logreport(self, report):
             else:
                 self.ensure_newline()
                 self.writer.write("[%s]" % rep.node.gateway.id)
-                self.writer.write(self._get_progress_information_message() + " ", cyan=True)
+                if self._show_progress_info:
+                    self.writer.write(self._get_progress_information_message() + " ", cyan=True)
+                else:
+                    self.writer.write(' ')
                 self.writer.write(word, **markup)
                 self.writer.write(" " + line)
                 self.currentfspath = -2
diff --git a/doc/en/customize.rst b/doc/en/customize.rst
index 21deb582e51..8133704a52c 100644
--- a/doc/en/customize.rst
+++ b/doc/en/customize.rst
@@ -312,3 +312,22 @@ Builtin configuration file options
    relative to :ref:`rootdir <rootdir>`. Additionally path may contain environment
    variables, that will be expanded. For more information about cache plugin
    please refer to :ref:`cache_provider`.
+
+
+.. confval:: console_output_style
+
+   .. versionadded:: 3.3
+
+   Sets the console output style while running tests:
+
+   * ``classic``: classic pytest output.
+   * ``progress``: like classic pytest output, but with a progress indicator.
+
+   The default is ``progress``, but you can fallback to ``classic`` if you prefer or
+   the new mode is causing unexpected problems:
+
+   .. code-block:: ini
+
+        # content of pytest.ini
+        [pytest]
+        console_output_style = classic
diff --git a/testing/test_terminal.py b/testing/test_terminal.py
index 122aba8626f..1ee5066881b 100644
--- a/testing/test_terminal.py
+++ b/testing/test_terminal.py
@@ -964,3 +964,58 @@ def test_no_trailing_whitespace_after_inifile_word(testdir):
     testdir.makeini('[pytest]')
     result = testdir.runpytest('')
     assert 'inifile: tox.ini\n' in result.stdout.str()
+
+
+class TestProgress:
+
+    @pytest.fixture
+    def many_tests_file(self, testdir):
+        testdir.makepyfile(
+            test_bar="""
+                import pytest
+                @pytest.mark.parametrize('i', range(10))
+                def test_bar(i): pass
+            """,
+            test_foo="""
+                import pytest
+                @pytest.mark.parametrize('i', range(5))
+                def test_foo(i): pass
+            """,
+            test_foobar="""
+                import pytest
+                @pytest.mark.parametrize('i', range(5))
+                def test_foobar(i): pass
+            """,
+        )
+
+    def test_normal(self, many_tests_file, testdir):
+        output = testdir.runpytest()
+        output.stdout.re_match_lines([
+            r'test_bar.py \.\.\.\.\.\.\.\.\.\. \s+ \[ 50%\]',
+            r'test_foo.py \.\.\.\.\. \s+ \[ 75%\]',
+            r'test_foobar.py \.\.\.\.\. \s+ \[100%\]',
+        ])
+
+    def test_verbose(self, many_tests_file, testdir):
+        output = testdir.runpytest('-v')
+        output.stdout.re_match_lines([
+            r'test_bar.py::test_bar\[0\] PASSED \s+ \[  5%\]',
+            r'test_foo.py::test_foo\[4\] PASSED \s+ \[ 75%\]',
+            r'test_foobar.py::test_foobar\[4\] PASSED \s+ \[100%\]',
+        ])
+
+    def test_xdist_normal(self, many_tests_file, testdir):
+        pytest.importorskip('xdist')
+        output = testdir.runpytest('-n2')
+        output.stdout.re_match_lines([
+            r'\.\.\.\.\.\.\.\.\.\.\.\.\.\.\.\.\.\.\.\. \s+ \[100%\]',
+        ])
+
+    def test_xdist_verbose(self, many_tests_file, testdir):
+        pytest.importorskip('xdist')
+        output = testdir.runpytest('-n2', '-v')
+        output.stdout.re_match_lines_random([
+            r'\[gw\d\] \[\s*\d+%\] PASSED test_bar.py::test_bar\[1\]',
+            r'\[gw\d\] \[\s*\d+%\] PASSED test_foo.py::test_foo\[1\]',
+            r'\[gw\d\] \[\s*\d+%\] PASSED test_foobar.py::test_foobar\[1\]',
+        ])