I've adapted the linked plugin to have less weird behavior. Now tests are skipped if manual unless

--run-manual

is specified:

import pytest


def pytest_configure(config):
    config.addinivalue_line("markers", "manual: mark tests which need a person to execute them")


def pytest_addoption(parser):
    group = parser.getgroup("manual", "configuration of manual tests")
    group.addoption(
        "--run-manual",
        action="store_true",
        default=False,
        help="run manual tests",
    )


@pytest.hookimpl(hookwrapper=True, tryfirst=True)
def pytest_runtest_makereport(item, call):
    outcome = yield
    rep = outcome.get_result()
    if call.excinfo and isinstance(call.excinfo.value, pytest.skip.Exception):
        if call.excinfo.value.msg == "manual":
            rep.outcome = "manual"


@pytest.hookimpl(tryfirst=True)
def pytest_report_teststatus(report):
    if report.outcome == "manual":
        return "manual", "M", "MANUAL"


@pytest.hookimpl(tryfirst=True)
def pytest_collection_modifyitems(config, items):
    run_manual = config.getoption("run_manual")

    for item in items:
        if item.get_closest_marker("manual") is not None and not run_manual:
            item.add_marker(pytest.mark.skip("manual"))