diff --git a/tests/visual_tests/renderjob.py b/tests/visual_tests/renderjob.py
index aa58d6f38..8ece0cb03 100644
--- a/tests/visual_tests/renderjob.py
+++ b/tests/visual_tests/renderjob.py
@@ -62,6 +62,7 @@ class RenderJob:
 
     def set_generate(self, state):
         self.generate = state
+        self.reporting.generate = state
 
     def load_and_save(self, filename, output):
         self.m = mapnik.Map(16, 16)
diff --git a/tests/visual_tests/reporting.py b/tests/visual_tests/reporting.py
index acc56afc9..0a8d7b3ef 100644
--- a/tests/visual_tests/reporting.py
+++ b/tests/visual_tests/reporting.py
@@ -13,6 +13,7 @@ class Reporting:
         self.passed = 0
         self.failed = 0
         self.overwrite_failures = False
+        self.generate = False
         self.errors = [ #(type, actual, expected, diff, message)
          ]
 
@@ -82,7 +83,7 @@ class Reporting:
                 if self.generate:
                     print str(idx+1) + ") Generating reference image: '%s'" % error[2]
                 else:
-                    print str(idx+1) + ")Could not verify %s: No reference image found!" % error[1]
+                    print str(idx+1) + ") Could not verify %s: No reference image found!" % error[1]
                 continue
             elif error[0] == self.DIFF:
                 print str(idx+1) + ") \x1b[34m%s different pixels\x1b[0m:\n\t%s (\x1b[31mactual\x1b[0m)\n\t%s (\x1b[32mexpected\x1b[0m)" % (error[3], error[1], error[2])
diff --git a/tests/visual_tests/test.py b/tests/visual_tests/test.py
index 47ba91059..837125a87 100755
--- a/tests/visual_tests/test.py
+++ b/tests/visual_tests/test.py
@@ -141,6 +141,9 @@ if __name__ == "__main__":
     parser.add_argument('-d', '--disable-renderer', action='append',
         help='disable a renderer (options: agg, cairo, grid)',
         choices=['agg', 'cairo', 'grid'], metavar='NAME', default=[])
+    parser.add_argument('-s', '--scale-factor', action='append',
+        help='use fixed scale factor',
+        type=float, metavar='FACTOR', default=None)
     parser.add_argument('-o', '--output-dir', action='store',
         default=visual_output_dir, help='output directory (default: %(default)s)', metavar='DIR')
     parser.add_argument('file', nargs='*', action='store',
@@ -160,6 +163,12 @@ if __name__ == "__main__":
         print new_files
         files = new_files
 
+    for renderer in args.disable_renderer:
+        defaults[renderer] = False
+
+    if args.scale_factor is not None:
+        defaults['scales'] = args.scale_factor
+
     if 'osm' not in mapnik.DatasourceCache.plugin_names():
         print "OSM plugin required"
         sys.exit(2)