diff --git a/CHANGELOG.md b/CHANGELOG.md
index 72e6e472425..3702cb56594 100644
--- a/CHANGELOG.md
+++ b/CHANGELOG.md
@@ -11,6 +11,7 @@
 - Add support for impersonating a service account using `impersonate_service_account` in the BigQuery profile configuration ([#2677](https://github.com/fishtown-analytics/dbt/issues/2677)) ([docs](https://docs.getdbt.com/reference/warehouse-profiles/bigquery-profile#service-account-impersonation))
 - Macros in the current project can override internal dbt macros that are called through `execute_macros`. ([#2301](https://github.com/fishtown-analytics/dbt/issues/2301), [#2686](https://github.com/fishtown-analytics/dbt/pull/2686))
 - Add state:modified and state:new selectors ([#2641](https://github.com/fishtown-analytics/dbt/issues/2641), [#2695](https://github.com/fishtown-analytics/dbt/pull/2695))
+- Added `--defer` flag for `dbt test` as well. ([#2701](https://github.com/fishtown-analytics/dbt/issues/2701), [#2706](https://github.com/fishtown-analytics/dbt/pull/2706))
 
 Contributors:
 - [@bbhoss](https://github.com/bbhoss) ([#2677](https://github.com/fishtown-analytics/dbt/pull/2677))
diff --git a/core/dbt/main.py b/core/dbt/main.py
index 3efdc46d667..6653ee74c53 100644
--- a/core/dbt/main.py
+++ b/core/dbt/main.py
@@ -444,6 +444,21 @@ def _build_snapshot_subparser(subparsers, base_subparser):
     return sub
 
 
+def _add_defer_argument(*subparsers):
+    for sub in subparsers:
+        sub.add_optional_argument_inverse(
+            '--defer',
+            enable_help='''
+            If set, defer to the state variable for resolving unselected nodes.
+            ''',
+            disable_help='''
+            If set, do not defer to the state variable for resolving unselected
+            nodes.
+            ''',
+            default=flags.DEFER_MODE,
+        )
+
+
 def _build_run_subparser(subparsers, base_subparser):
     run_sub = subparsers.add_parser(
         'run',
@@ -461,19 +476,6 @@ def _build_run_subparser(subparsers, base_subparser):
         '''
     )
 
-    # this is a "dbt run"-only thing, for now
-    run_sub.add_optional_argument_inverse(
-        '--defer',
-        enable_help='''
-        If set, defer to the state variable for resolving unselected nodes.
-        ''',
-        disable_help='''
-        If set, do not defer to the state variable for resolving unselected
-        nodes.
-        ''',
-        default=flags.DEFER_MODE,
-    )
-
     run_sub.set_defaults(cls=run_task.RunTask, which='run', rpc_method='run')
     return run_sub
 
@@ -987,6 +989,8 @@ def parse_args(args, cls=DBTArgumentParser):
     # list_sub sets up its own arguments.
     _add_selection_arguments(run_sub, compile_sub, generate_sub, test_sub)
     _add_selection_arguments(snapshot_sub, seed_sub, models_name='select')
+    # --defer
+    _add_defer_argument(run_sub, test_sub)
     # --full-refresh
     _add_table_mutability_arguments(run_sub, compile_sub)
 
diff --git a/core/dbt/task/seed.py b/core/dbt/task/seed.py
index 47a89d1a5db..fdc9c71fce8 100644
--- a/core/dbt/task/seed.py
+++ b/core/dbt/task/seed.py
@@ -37,6 +37,10 @@ def print_result_line(self, result):
 
 
 class SeedTask(RunTask):
+    def defer_to_manifest(self, selected_uids):
+        # seeds don't defer
+        return
+
     def raise_on_first_error(self):
         return False
 
diff --git a/core/dbt/task/snapshot.py b/core/dbt/task/snapshot.py
index edc5ba9b277..863dba99fbe 100644
--- a/core/dbt/task/snapshot.py
+++ b/core/dbt/task/snapshot.py
@@ -22,6 +22,10 @@ class SnapshotTask(RunTask):
     def raise_on_first_error(self):
         return False
 
+    def defer_to_manifest(self, selected_uids):
+        # snapshots don't defer
+        return
+
     def get_node_selector(self):
         if self.manifest is None or self.graph is None:
             raise InternalException(
diff --git a/test/integration/062_defer_state_test/test_defer_state.py b/test/integration/062_defer_state_test/test_defer_state.py
index 892ef863ee9..09a1671aa74 100644
--- a/test/integration/062_defer_state_test/test_defer_state.py
+++ b/test/integration/062_defer_state_test/test_defer_state.py
@@ -55,13 +55,22 @@ def run_and_defer(self):
         results = self.run_dbt(['run'])
         assert len(results) == 2
         assert not any(r.node.deferred for r in results)
+        results = self.run_dbt(['test'])
+        assert len(results) == 2
 
         # copy files over from the happy times when we had a good target
         self.copy_state()
 
-        # no state, still fails
+        # test tests first, because run will change things
+        # no state, wrong schema, failure.
+        self.run_dbt(['test', '--target', 'otherschema'], expect_pass=False)
+
+        # no state, run also fails
         self.run_dbt(['run', '--target', 'otherschema'], expect_pass=False)
 
+        # defer test, it succeeds
+        results = self.run_dbt(['test', '-m', 'view_model+', '--state', 'state', '--defer', '--target', 'otherschema'])
+
         # with state it should work though
         results = self.run_dbt(['run', '-m', 'view_model', '--state', 'state', '--defer', '--target', 'otherschema'])
         assert self.other_schema not in results[0].node.injected_sql
@@ -106,14 +115,11 @@ def run_switchdirs_defer(self):
     def test_postgres_state_changetarget(self):
         self.run_and_defer()
         # these should work without --defer!
-        self.run_dbt(['test'])
         self.run_dbt(['snapshot'])
         # make sure these commands don't work with --defer
         with pytest.raises(SystemExit):
             self.run_dbt(['seed', '--defer'])
 
-        with pytest.raises(SystemExit):
-            self.run_dbt(['test', '--defer'])
         with pytest.raises(SystemExit):
             self.run_dbt(['snapshot', '--defer'])