diff --git a/_py/test/plugin/pytest_skipping.py b/_py/test/plugin/pytest_skipping.py
index 27b7d4454..a0388e847 100644
--- a/_py/test/plugin/pytest_skipping.py
+++ b/_py/test/plugin/pytest_skipping.py
@@ -132,9 +132,19 @@ def pytest_report_teststatus(report):
 
 # called by the terminalreporter instance/plugin
 def pytest_terminal_summary(terminalreporter):
+    show_xfailed(terminalreporter)
+    show_skipped(terminalreporter)
+
+def show_xfailed(terminalreporter):
     tr = terminalreporter
     xfailed = tr.stats.get("xfailed")
     if xfailed:
+        if not tr.hasopt('xfailed'):
+            if tr.config.getvalue("verbose"):
+                tr.write_line(
+                  "%d expected failures, use --report=xfailed for more info" %
+                  len(xfailed))
+            return
         tr.write_sep("_", "expected failures")
         for rep in xfailed:
             entry = rep.longrepr.reprcrash
@@ -178,3 +188,29 @@ def evalexpression(item, keyword):
             result = expr
     return expr, result
 
+def folded_skips(skipped):
+    d = {}
+    for event in skipped:
+        entry = event.longrepr.reprcrash 
+        key = entry.path, entry.lineno, entry.message
+        d.setdefault(key, []).append(event)
+    l = []
+    for key, events in d.items(): 
+        l.append((len(events),) + key)
+    return l 
+
+def show_skipped(terminalreporter):
+    tr = terminalreporter
+    skipped = tr.stats.get('skipped', [])
+    if skipped:
+        if not tr.hasopt('skipped'):
+            if tr.config.getvalue("verbose"):
+                tr.write_line(
+                    "%d skipped tests, use --report=skipped for more info" %
+                    len(skipped))
+            return
+        fskips = folded_skips(skipped)
+        if fskips:
+            tr.write_sep("_", "skipped test summary")
+            for num, fspath, lineno, reason in fskips:
+                tr._tw.line("%s:%d: [%d] %s" %(fspath, lineno, num, reason))
diff --git a/_py/test/plugin/pytest_terminal.py b/_py/test/plugin/pytest_terminal.py
index 555385d7b..8e483f19d 100644
--- a/_py/test/plugin/pytest_terminal.py
+++ b/_py/test/plugin/pytest_terminal.py
@@ -23,6 +23,10 @@ def pytest_addoption(parser):
     group.addoption('--debug',
                action="store_true", dest="debug", default=False,
                help="generate and show debugging information.")
+    group.addoption('--report',
+               action="store", dest="report", default=None, metavar="opts",
+               help="comma separated reporting options")
+
 
 def pytest_configure(config):
     if config.option.collectonly:
@@ -38,6 +42,18 @@ def pytest_configure(config):
             setattr(reporter._tw, name, getattr(config, attr))
     config.pluginmanager.register(reporter, 'terminalreporter')
 
+def getreportopt(optvalue):
+    d = {}
+    if optvalue:
+        for setting in optvalue.split(","):
+            setting = setting.strip()
+            val = True
+            if setting.startswith("no"):
+                val = False
+                setting = setting[2:]
+            d[setting] = val
+    return d
+
 class TerminalReporter:
     def __init__(self, config, file=None):
         self.config = config 
@@ -48,6 +64,10 @@ class TerminalReporter:
         self._tw = py.io.TerminalWriter(file)
         self.currentfspath = None 
         self.gateway2info = {}
+        self._reportopt = getreportopt(config.getvalue('report'))
+
+    def hasopt(self, name):
+        return self._reportopt.get(name, False)
 
     def write_fspath_result(self, fspath, res):
         fspath = self.curdir.bestrelpath(fspath)
@@ -254,7 +274,6 @@ class TerminalReporter:
         if exitstatus in (0, 1, 2):
             self.summary_errors()
             self.summary_failures()
-            self.summary_skips()
             self.config.hook.pytest_terminal_summary(terminalreporter=self)
         if exitstatus == 2:
             self._report_keyboardinterrupt()
@@ -389,14 +408,6 @@ class TerminalReporter:
             self.write_sep("=", "%d tests deselected by %r" %(
                 len(self.stats['deselected']), self.config.option.keyword), bold=True)
 
-    def summary_skips(self):
-        if 'skipped' in self.stats:
-            if 'failed' not in self.stats: #  or self.config.option.showskipsummary:
-                fskips = folded_skips(self.stats['skipped'])
-                if fskips:
-                    self.write_sep("_", "skipped test summary")
-                    for num, fspath, lineno, reason in fskips:
-                        self._tw.line("%s:%d: [%d] %s" %(fspath, lineno, num, reason))
 
 class CollectonlyReporter:
     INDENT = "  "
@@ -435,16 +446,6 @@ class CollectonlyReporter:
         for rep in self._failed:
             rep.toterminal(self.out)
                 
-def folded_skips(skipped):
-    d = {}
-    for event in skipped:
-        entry = event.longrepr.reprcrash 
-        key = entry.path, entry.lineno, entry.message
-        d.setdefault(key, []).append(event)
-    l = []
-    for key, events in d.items(): 
-        l.append((len(events),) + key)
-    return l 
 
 def repr_pythonversion(v=None):
     if v is None:
diff --git a/doc/changelog.txt b/doc/changelog.txt
index fbae822f0..c77ad2eee 100644
--- a/doc/changelog.txt
+++ b/doc/changelog.txt
@@ -1,6 +1,8 @@
 Changes between 1.0.2 and '1.1.0b1'
 =====================================
 
+* add --report command line option that allows to control showing of skipped/xfailed sections 
+
 * generalized skipping: a new way to mark python functions with skipif or xfail 
   at function, class and modules level based on platform or sys-module attributes. 
 
diff --git a/testing/pytest/plugin/test_pytest_skipping.py b/testing/pytest/plugin/test_pytest_skipping.py
index d2d4f5ff6..019fb1e3c 100644
--- a/testing/pytest/plugin/test_pytest_skipping.py
+++ b/testing/pytest/plugin/test_pytest_skipping.py
@@ -1,5 +1,28 @@
 import py
 
+def test_xfail_not_report_default(testdir):
+    p = testdir.makepyfile(test_one="""
+        import py
+        @py.test.mark.xfail
+        def test_this():
+            assert 0
+    """)
+    result = testdir.runpytest(p, '-v')
+    extra = result.stdout.fnmatch_lines([
+        "*1 expected failures*--report=xfailed*",
+    ])
+
+def test_skip_not_report_default(testdir):
+    p = testdir.makepyfile(test_one="""
+        import py
+        def test_this():
+            py.test.skip("hello")
+    """)
+    result = testdir.runpytest(p, '-v')
+    extra = result.stdout.fnmatch_lines([
+        "*1 skipped*--report=skipped*",
+    ])
+
 def test_xfail_decorator(testdir):
     p = testdir.makepyfile(test_one="""
         import py
@@ -11,7 +34,7 @@ def test_xfail_decorator(testdir):
         def test_that():
             assert 1
     """)
-    result = testdir.runpytest(p)
+    result = testdir.runpytest(p, '--report=xfailed')
     extra = result.stdout.fnmatch_lines([
         "*expected failures*",
         "*test_one.test_this*test_one.py:4*",
@@ -28,7 +51,7 @@ def test_xfail_at_module(testdir):
         def test_intentional_xfail():
             assert 0
     """)
-    result = testdir.runpytest(p)
+    result = testdir.runpytest(p, '--report=xfailed')
     extra = result.stdout.fnmatch_lines([
         "*expected failures*",
         "*test_intentional_xfail*:4*",
@@ -43,7 +66,7 @@ def test_skipif_decorator(testdir):
         def test_that():
             assert 0
     """)
-    result = testdir.runpytest(p)
+    result = testdir.runpytest(p, '--report=skipped')
     extra = result.stdout.fnmatch_lines([
         "*Skipped*platform*",
         "*1 skipped*"
@@ -99,3 +122,60 @@ def test_evalexpression_cls_config_example(testdir):
     x, y = evalexpression(item, 'skipif')
     assert x == 'config._hackxyz'
     assert y == 3
+
+def test_skip_reasons_folding():
+    from _py.test.plugin import pytest_runner as runner 
+    from _py.test.plugin.pytest_skipping import folded_skips
+    class longrepr:
+        class reprcrash:
+            path = 'xyz'
+            lineno = 3
+            message = "justso"
+
+    ev1 = runner.CollectReport(None, None)
+    ev1.when = "execute"
+    ev1.skipped = True
+    ev1.longrepr = longrepr 
+    
+    ev2 = runner.ItemTestReport(None, excinfo=longrepr)
+    ev2.skipped = True
+
+    l = folded_skips([ev1, ev2])
+    assert len(l) == 1
+    num, fspath, lineno, reason = l[0]
+    assert num == 2
+    assert fspath == longrepr.reprcrash.path
+    assert lineno == longrepr.reprcrash.lineno
+    assert reason == longrepr.reprcrash.message
+
+def test_skipped_reasons_functional(testdir):
+    testdir.makepyfile(
+        test_one="""
+            from conftest import doskip
+            def setup_function(func):
+                doskip()
+            def test_func():
+                pass
+            class TestClass:
+                def test_method(self):
+                    doskip()
+       """,
+       test_two = """
+            from conftest import doskip
+            doskip()
+       """,
+       conftest = """
+            import py
+            def doskip():
+                py.test.skip('test')
+        """
+    )
+    result = testdir.runpytest('--report=skipped') 
+    extra = result.stdout.fnmatch_lines([
+        "*test_one.py ss",
+        "*test_two.py S",
+        "___* skipped test summary *_", 
+        "*conftest.py:3: *3* Skipped: 'test'", 
+    ])
+    assert result.ret == 0
+
diff --git a/testing/pytest/plugin/test_pytest_terminal.py b/testing/pytest/plugin/test_pytest_terminal.py
index 5e54f5c4e..c11052949 100644
--- a/testing/pytest/plugin/test_pytest_terminal.py
+++ b/testing/pytest/plugin/test_pytest_terminal.py
@@ -14,7 +14,7 @@ except ImportError:
 # ===============================================================================
 
 from _py.test.plugin.pytest_terminal import TerminalReporter, \
-    CollectonlyReporter,  repr_pythonversion, folded_skips
+    CollectonlyReporter,  repr_pythonversion, getreportopt
 from _py.test.plugin import pytest_runner as runner 
 
 def basic_run_report(item):
@@ -289,28 +289,6 @@ class TestTerminal:
             ])
         result.stdout.fnmatch_lines(['*KEYBOARD INTERRUPT*'])
 
-    def test_skip_reasons_folding(self):
-        class longrepr:
-            class reprcrash:
-                path = 'xyz'
-                lineno = 3
-                message = "justso"
-
-        ev1 = runner.CollectReport(None, None)
-        ev1.when = "execute"
-        ev1.skipped = True
-        ev1.longrepr = longrepr 
-        
-        ev2 = runner.ItemTestReport(None, excinfo=longrepr)
-        ev2.skipped = True
-
-        l = folded_skips([ev1, ev2])
-        assert len(l) == 1
-        num, fspath, lineno, reason = l[0]
-        assert num == 2
-        assert fspath == longrepr.reprcrash.path
-        assert lineno == longrepr.reprcrash.lineno
-        assert reason == longrepr.reprcrash.message
 
 class TestCollectonly:
     def test_collectonly_basic(self, testdir, linecomp):
@@ -473,37 +451,6 @@ class TestFixtureReporting:
          ])
 
 class TestTerminalFunctional:
-    def test_skipped_reasons(self, testdir):
-        testdir.makepyfile(
-            test_one="""
-                from conftest import doskip
-                def setup_function(func):
-                    doskip()
-                def test_func():
-                    pass
-                class TestClass:
-                    def test_method(self):
-                        doskip()
-           """,
-           test_two = """
-                from conftest import doskip
-                doskip()
-           """,
-           conftest = """
-                import py
-                def doskip():
-                    py.test.skip('test')
-            """
-        )
-        result = testdir.runpytest() 
-        extra = result.stdout.fnmatch_lines([
-            "*test_one.py ss",
-            "*test_two.py S",
-            "___* skipped test summary *_", 
-            "*conftest.py:3: *3* Skipped: 'test'", 
-        ])
-        assert result.ret == 0
-
     def test_deselected(self, testdir):
         testpath = testdir.makepyfile("""
                 def test_one():
@@ -613,6 +560,27 @@ class TestTerminalFunctional:
             ])
             assert result.ret == 1
 
+
+def test_getreportopt():
+    assert getreportopt(None) == {}
+    assert getreportopt("hello") == {'hello': True}
+    assert getreportopt("hello, world") == dict(hello=True, world=True)
+    assert getreportopt("nohello") == dict(hello=False)
+
+def test_terminalreporter_reportopt_conftestsetting(testdir):
+    testdir.makeconftest("option_report = 'skipped'")
+    p = testdir.makepyfile("""
+        def pytest_funcarg__tr(request):
+            tr = request.config.pluginmanager.getplugin("terminalreporter")
+            return tr
+        def test_opt(tr):
+            assert tr.hasopt('skipped')
+            assert not tr.hasopt('qwe')
+    """)
+    result = testdir.runpytest()
+    assert result.stdout.fnmatch_lines([
+        "*1 passed*"
+    ])
     def test_trace_reporting(self, testdir):
         result = testdir.runpytest("--trace")
         assert result.stdout.fnmatch_lines([