diff --git a/lib/interfaces/scenarioConfig.js b/lib/interfaces/scenarioConfig.js
index 589ea1cfb..cf9910f18 100644
--- a/lib/interfaces/scenarioConfig.js
+++ b/lib/interfaces/scenarioConfig.js
@@ -35,6 +35,7 @@ class ScenarioConfig {
    * @returns {this}
    */
   retry(retries) {
+    if (process.env.SCENARIO_ONLY) retries = -retries;
     this.test.retries(retries);
     return this;
   }
diff --git a/lib/ui.js b/lib/ui.js
index b142a467a..2cc8ef305 100644
--- a/lib/ui.js
+++ b/lib/ui.js
@@ -168,6 +168,7 @@ module.exports = function (suite) {
     context.Scenario.only = function (title, opts, fn) {
       const reString = `^${escapeRe(`${suites[0].title}: ${title}`.replace(/( \| {.+})?$/g, ''))}`;
       mocha.grep(new RegExp(reString));
+      process.env.SCENARIO_ONLY = true;
       return addScenario(title, opts, fn);
     };