diff --git a/task/common/machine/machine-script.sh.tpl b/task/common/machine/machine-script.sh.tpl
index aa9757c9..6aff8cee 100755
--- a/task/common/machine/machine-script.sh.tpl
+++ b/task/common/machine/machine-script.sh.tpl
@@ -152,7 +152,7 @@ while sleep 5; do
   fi
 done &
 
-while sleep 10; do
+while ! test -v TPI_DISABLE_DATA_DIRECTORY_SYNCHRONIZATION && sleep 10; do
   NEW_TPI_DATA_DIRECTORY_EPOCH="$(find "$TPI_DATA_DIRECTORY" -printf "%T@\n" | sort | tail -1)"
   if test "$NEW_TPI_DATA_DIRECTORY_EPOCH" != "$TPI_DATA_DIRECTORY_EPOCH"; then
     TPI_DATA_DIRECTORY_EPOCH="$NEW_TPI_DATA_DIRECTORY_EPOCH"
diff --git a/task/common/machine/testdata/machine_script_full.golden b/task/common/machine/testdata/machine_script_full.golden
index 3fadcc8a..47997445 100644
--- a/task/common/machine/testdata/machine_script_full.golden
+++ b/task/common/machine/testdata/machine_script_full.golden
@@ -152,7 +152,7 @@ while sleep 5; do
   fi
 done &
 
-while sleep 10; do
+while ! test -v TPI_DISABLE_DATA_DIRECTORY_SYNCHRONIZATION && sleep 10; do
   NEW_TPI_DATA_DIRECTORY_EPOCH="$(find "$TPI_DATA_DIRECTORY" -printf "%T@\n" | sort | tail -1)"
   if test "$NEW_TPI_DATA_DIRECTORY_EPOCH" != "$TPI_DATA_DIRECTORY_EPOCH"; then
     TPI_DATA_DIRECTORY_EPOCH="$NEW_TPI_DATA_DIRECTORY_EPOCH"
diff --git a/task/common/machine/testdata/machine_script_minimal.golden b/task/common/machine/testdata/machine_script_minimal.golden
index 370247aa..913a8ef0 100644
--- a/task/common/machine/testdata/machine_script_minimal.golden
+++ b/task/common/machine/testdata/machine_script_minimal.golden
@@ -152,7 +152,7 @@ while sleep 5; do
   fi
 done &
 
-while sleep 10; do
+while ! test -v TPI_DISABLE_DATA_DIRECTORY_SYNCHRONIZATION && sleep 10; do
   NEW_TPI_DATA_DIRECTORY_EPOCH="$(find "$TPI_DATA_DIRECTORY" -printf "%T@\n" | sort | tail -1)"
   if test "$NEW_TPI_DATA_DIRECTORY_EPOCH" != "$TPI_DATA_DIRECTORY_EPOCH"; then
     TPI_DATA_DIRECTORY_EPOCH="$NEW_TPI_DATA_DIRECTORY_EPOCH"