diff --git a/tests/host/__init__.py b/tests/host/__init__.py
index 954e9b650..df4570535 100644
--- a/tests/host/__init__.py
+++ b/tests/host/__init__.py
@@ -203,6 +203,15 @@ class Controller:
         """
         raise NotImplementedError()
 
+    def disable_debuginfod(self) -> Awaitable[None]:
+        """
+        Tells the debugger not to use debuginfod (for retrieving
+        debugging information / symbols).
+
+        This should be called before .launch().
+        """
+        raise NotImplementedError()
+
 
 def start(controller: Callable[[Controller], Coroutine[Any, Any, None]]) -> None:
     """
diff --git a/tests/host/gdb/pytests_launcher.py b/tests/host/gdb/pytests_launcher.py
index 4903b5313..a5ebdcc9b 100644
--- a/tests/host/gdb/pytests_launcher.py
+++ b/tests/host/gdb/pytests_launcher.py
@@ -59,6 +59,10 @@ class _GDBController(host.Controller):
     async def select_thread(self, tid: int) -> None:
         gdb.execute(f"thread {tid}")
 
+    async def disable_debuginfod(self) -> None:
+        gdb.execute("set debug-file-directory")
+        gdb.execute("set debuginfod enabled off")
+
 
 def _start(outer: Callable[[host.Controller], Coroutine[Any, Any, None]]) -> None:
     # The GDB controller is entirely synchronous, so keep advancing the
diff --git a/tests/host/lldb/launch_guest.py b/tests/host/lldb/launch_guest.py
index 78bf9761f..b7b3740c7 100644
--- a/tests/host/lldb/launch_guest.py
+++ b/tests/host/lldb/launch_guest.py
@@ -58,6 +58,10 @@ async def _run(ctrl: Any, outer: Callable[..., Coroutine[Any, Any, None]]) -> No
         async def select_thread(self, tid: int) -> None:
             await self.pc.execute(f"thread select {tid}")
 
+        async def disable_debuginfod(self) -> None:
+            # Could also consider disabling `symbols.enable-external-lookup`
+            await self.pc.execute("settings set plugin.symbol-locator.debuginfod.server-urls {}")
+
     await outer(_LLDBController(ctrl))
 
 
diff --git a/tests/library/dbg/tests/test_mallocng.py b/tests/library/dbg/tests/test_mallocng.py
index c48d01b69..b121a480e 100644
--- a/tests/library/dbg/tests/test_mallocng.py
+++ b/tests/library/dbg/tests/test_mallocng.py
@@ -299,6 +299,9 @@ async def test_mallocng_meta(ctrl: Controller, binary: str):
 async def test_mallocng_malloc_context(ctrl: Controller, binary: str):
     import pwndbg.color as color
 
+    # Make sure we are not working with symbols when we think we aren't
+    await ctrl.disable_debuginfod()
+
     await ctrl.launch(binary)
 
     # Check that we do not find it at the first program instruction