diff --git a/cmd/flags.go b/cmd/flags.go
index 88af13a6..a982f918 100644
--- a/cmd/flags.go
+++ b/cmd/flags.go
@@ -44,9 +44,10 @@ var (
 		TakesFile: true,
 	}
 
-	analyticsFlag = &cli.StringFlag{
-		Name:   "--disable-telemetry",
-		Hidden: true,
+	analyticsFlag = &cli.BoolFlag{
+		Name:    "disable-telemetry",
+		EnvVars: []string{"DISABLE_TELEMETRY"},
+		Hidden:  true,
 	}
 )
 
@@ -95,6 +96,7 @@ func displayCopyright(ctx *cli.Context) error {
 
 func initAnalytics(ctx *cli.Context) error {
 	if ctx.Bool("disable-telemetry") {
+		log.Tracef("disabling telemetry")
 		return nil
 	}
 
diff --git a/smoke-test/smoke.common.sh b/smoke-test/smoke.common.sh
index 984bce12..5d602cdd 100644
--- a/smoke-test/smoke.common.sh
+++ b/smoke-test/smoke.common.sh
@@ -2,6 +2,7 @@ FOOTLOOSE_TEMPLATE=${FOOTLOOSE_TEMPLATE:-"footloose.yaml.tpl"}
 
 export LINUX_IMAGE=${LINUX_IMAGE:-"quay.io/footloose/ubuntu18.04"}
 export PRESERVE_CLUSTER=${PRESERVE_CLUSTER:-""}
+export DISABLE_TELEMETRY=true
 
 
 function createCluster() {