diff --git a/admin/tool/behat/cli/init.php b/admin/tool/behat/cli/init.php
index ce09a1cf5c7..6c665db7395 100644
--- a/admin/tool/behat/cli/init.php
+++ b/admin/tool/behat/cli/init.php
@@ -49,7 +49,8 @@ list($options, $unrecognized) = cli_get_params(
         'torun'    => 0,
         'optimize-runs' => '',
         'add-core-features-to-theme' => false,
-        'axe'      => false,
+        'axe'         => '',
+        'no-axe'      => false,
         'disable-composer' => false,
         'composer-upgrade' => true,
         'composer-self-update' => true,
@@ -69,7 +70,7 @@ Behat utilities to initialise behat tests
 
 Usage:
   php init.php      [--parallel=value [--maxruns=value] [--fromrun=value --torun=value]]
-                    [--axe] [-o | --optimize-runs] [-a | --add-core-features-to-theme]
+                    [--no-axe] [-o | --optimize-runs] [-a | --add-core-features-to-theme]
                     [--no-composer-self-update] [--no-composer-upgrade]
                     [--disable-composer]
                     [--help]
@@ -79,7 +80,7 @@ Options:
 -m, --maxruns       Max parallel processes to be executed at one time
 --fromrun           Execute run starting from (Used for parallel runs on different vms)
 --torun             Execute run till (Used for parallel runs on different vms)
---axe               Include axe accessibility tests
+--no-axe            Disable axe accessibility tests.
 
 -o, --optimize-runs
                     Split features with specified tags in all parallel runs.
@@ -110,6 +111,14 @@ if (!empty($options['help'])) {
     exit(0);
 }
 
+if (!empty($options['axe'])) {
+    echo "Axe accessibility tests are enabled by default, to disable them, use the --no-axe option.\n";
+}
+
+if (!empty($options['no-axe'])) {
+    echo "Axe accessibility tests have been disabled.\n";
+}
+
 // Check which util file to call.
 $utilfile = 'util_single_run.php';
 $commandoptions = "";
@@ -127,6 +136,7 @@ if ($options['parallel'] && $options['parallel'] > 1) {
     $cmdoptionsforsinglerun = [
         'add-core-features-to-theme',
         'axe',
+        'no-axe',
     ];
 
     foreach ($cmdoptionsforsinglerun as $option) {
diff --git a/admin/tool/behat/cli/util.php b/admin/tool/behat/cli/util.php
index f2649cd4f53..c13116977e9 100644
--- a/admin/tool/behat/cli/util.php
+++ b/admin/tool/behat/cli/util.php
@@ -57,7 +57,8 @@ list($options, $unrecognized) = cli_get_params(
         'torun'       => 0,
         'optimize-runs' => '',
         'add-core-features-to-theme' => false,
-        'axe'         => false,
+        'axe'      => '',
+        'no-axe'      => false,
     ),
     array(
         'h' => 'help',
@@ -73,7 +74,7 @@ $help = "
 Behat utilities to manage the test environment
 
 Usage:
-  php util.php [--install|--drop|--enable|--disable|--diag|--updatesteps|--axe|--help] [--parallel=value [--maxruns=value]]
+  php util.php [--install|--drop|--enable|--disable|--diag|--updatesteps|--no-axe|--help] [--parallel=value [--maxruns=value]]
 
 Options:
 --install      Installs the test environment for acceptance tests
@@ -82,7 +83,7 @@ Options:
 --disable      Disables test environment
 --diag         Get behat test environment status code
 --updatesteps  Update feature step file.
---axe          Include axe accessibility tests
+--no-axe       Disable axe accessibility tests.
 
 -j, --parallel Number of parallel behat run operation
 -m, --maxruns Max parallel processes to be executed at one time.
diff --git a/admin/tool/behat/cli/util_single_run.php b/admin/tool/behat/cli/util_single_run.php
index 5727e5b8f12..ca0d5a61ac3 100644
--- a/admin/tool/behat/cli/util_single_run.php
+++ b/admin/tool/behat/cli/util_single_run.php
@@ -52,7 +52,8 @@ list($options, $unrecognized) = cli_get_params(
         'updatesteps' => false,
         'optimize-runs' => '',
         'add-core-features-to-theme' => false,
-        'axe'         => false,
+        'axe'      => '',
+        'no-axe'      => false,
     ),
     array(
         'h' => 'help',
@@ -79,7 +80,7 @@ Options:
 --disable        Disables test environment
 --diag           Get behat test environment status code
 --updatesteps    Update feature step file.
---axe            Include axe accessibility tests
+--no-axe         Disable axe accessibility tests.
 
 -o, --optimize-runs Split features with specified tags in all parallel runs.
 -a, --add-core-features-to-theme Add all core features to specified theme's
@@ -186,8 +187,11 @@ if ($options['install']) {
         behat_config_manager::set_behat_run_config_value('behatsiteenabled', 1);
     }
 
-    // Define whether to run Behat with axe tests.
-    behat_config_manager::set_behat_run_config_value('axe', $options['axe']);
+    // Always run Behat with axe tests.
+    if (!$options['no-axe']) {
+        behat_config_manager::set_behat_run_config_value('axe', true);
+    }
+
 
     // Enable test mode.
     $timestart = microtime(true);
diff --git a/admin/tool/behat/upgrade.txt b/admin/tool/behat/upgrade.txt
index 36b1184c2bd..f765fb70c41 100644
--- a/admin/tool/behat/upgrade.txt
+++ b/admin/tool/behat/upgrade.txt
@@ -1,5 +1,7 @@
 This files describes API changes in the tool_behat code.
 
+=== 4.1.4 ===
+* Behat is initialised with Axe accessibility tests enabled by default, if you want to disable them please use the --no-axe option.
 === 3.7 ===
 * Behat will now look for behat step definitions in the current
   theme and any parents the theme may have.