diff --git a/run-tests.xsh b/run-tests.xsh
index 40b41b664..a271062f7 100755
--- a/run-tests.xsh
+++ b/run-tests.xsh
@@ -52,6 +52,9 @@ def qa(ns: argparse.Namespace):
     # todo: add xontrib folder here
     mypy xonsh --exclude xonsh/ply
 
+    echo "---------- Running news items check ----------"
+    pytest -m news
+
 
 if __name__ == '__main__':
     parser = argparse.ArgumentParser()
diff --git a/setup.cfg b/setup.cfg
index 7e535713c..1bda063b9 100644
--- a/setup.cfg
+++ b/setup.cfg
@@ -114,3 +114,5 @@ ignore_missing_imports = True
 
 [tool:pytest]
 cache_dir = .cache/pytest
+markers =
+    news: check changelog unit is valid rst
diff --git a/tests/test_news.py b/tests/test_news.py
index 3950de2d6..9c561c1d4 100644
--- a/tests/test_news.py
+++ b/tests/test_news.py
@@ -25,8 +25,8 @@ def check_news_file(fname):
         if "`" in l:
             if single_grave_reg.search(l):
                 pytest.fail(
-                    "{}:{}: single grave accents"
-                    " are not valid rst".format(name, i + 1),
+                    "{}:{}: single grave accents (`)"
+                    " are not valid rst. Please use ``".format(name, i + 1),
                     pytrace=True,
                 )
 
@@ -61,7 +61,14 @@ def check_news_file(fname):
         pytest.fail("{}: invalid rst".format(name), pytrace=True)
 
 
-@pytest.mark.parametrize("fname", list(os.scandir(NEWSDIR)))
+@pytest.fixture(params=list(os.scandir(NEWSDIR)))
+def fname(request):
+    if request.node.config.option.markexpr != "news":
+        pytest.skip("Run news items check explicitly")
+    return request.param
+
+
+@pytest.mark.news
 def test_news(fname):
     base, ext = os.path.splitext(fname.path)
     assert "rst" in ext