diff --git a/composeApp/src/commonMain/kotlin/org/ooni/probe/background/RunBackgroundTask.kt b/composeApp/src/commonMain/kotlin/org/ooni/probe/background/RunBackgroundTask.kt
index 8a30e959..734422a4 100644
--- a/composeApp/src/commonMain/kotlin/org/ooni/probe/background/RunBackgroundTask.kt
+++ b/composeApp/src/commonMain/kotlin/org/ooni/probe/background/RunBackgroundTask.kt
@@ -111,7 +111,7 @@ class RunBackgroundTask(
             return
         }
 
-        if (getNetworkType() == NetworkType.VPN) {
+        if (getNetworkType() == NetworkType.VPN && spec == null) {
             Logger.i("Skipping auto-run tests: VPN enabled")
             return
         }
diff --git a/composeApp/src/commonTest/kotlin/org/ooni/probe/background/RunBackgroundTaskTest.kt b/composeApp/src/commonTest/kotlin/org/ooni/probe/background/RunBackgroundTaskTest.kt
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..c43dfc99
--- /dev/null
+++ b/composeApp/src/commonTest/kotlin/org/ooni/probe/background/RunBackgroundTaskTest.kt
@@ -0,0 +1,101 @@
+package org.ooni.probe.background
+
+import kotlinx.coroutines.delay
+import kotlinx.coroutines.flow.Flow
+import kotlinx.coroutines.flow.MutableStateFlow
+import kotlinx.coroutines.flow.collect
+import kotlinx.coroutines.flow.emptyFlow
+import kotlinx.coroutines.flow.flowOf
+import kotlinx.coroutines.test.runTest
+import org.ooni.engine.models.NetworkType
+import org.ooni.engine.models.TaskOrigin
+import org.ooni.probe.data.models.ResultModel
+import org.ooni.probe.data.models.RunBackgroundState
+import org.ooni.probe.data.models.RunSpecification
+import org.ooni.probe.data.models.SettingsKey
+import org.ooni.probe.domain.UploadMissingMeasurements
+import kotlin.test.Test
+import kotlin.test.assertFalse
+import kotlin.test.assertTrue
+
+class RunBackgroundTaskTest {
+    @Test
+    fun skipAutoRunIfVpnIsEnabled() =
+        runTest {
+            var wasRunDescriptorsCalled = false
+            val state = MutableStateFlow<RunBackgroundState>(RunBackgroundState.Idle())
+            val subject = buildSubject(
+                getNetworkType = { NetworkType.VPN },
+                getRunBackgroundState = { state },
+                runDescriptors = {
+                    wasRunDescriptorsCalled = true
+                    state.value = RunBackgroundState.RunningTests()
+                    delay(100)
+                    state.value = RunBackgroundState.Idle()
+                },
+            )
+
+            subject(null).collect()
+
+            assertFalse(wasRunDescriptorsCalled)
+        }
+
+    @Test
+    fun runManualRunIfVpnIsEnabled() =
+        runTest {
+            var wasRunDescriptorsCalled = false
+            val state = MutableStateFlow<RunBackgroundState>(RunBackgroundState.Idle())
+            val subject = buildSubject(
+                getNetworkType = { NetworkType.VPN },
+                getRunBackgroundState = { state },
+                runDescriptors = {
+                    wasRunDescriptorsCalled = true
+                    state.value = RunBackgroundState.RunningTests()
+                    delay(100)
+                    state.value = RunBackgroundState.Idle()
+                },
+            )
+
+            subject(
+                RunSpecification(
+                    tests = emptyList(),
+                    taskOrigin = TaskOrigin.OoniRun,
+                    isRerun = false,
+                ),
+            ).collect()
+
+            assertTrue(wasRunDescriptorsCalled)
+        }
+
+    private fun buildSubject(
+        getPreferenceValueByKey: (SettingsKey) -> Flow<Any?> = { flowOf(true) },
+        uploadMissingMeasurements: (ResultModel.Id?) -> Flow<UploadMissingMeasurements.State> = { emptyFlow() },
+        checkSkipAutoRunNotUploadedLimit: () -> Flow<Boolean> = { flowOf(false) },
+        getNetworkType: () -> NetworkType = { NetworkType.Wifi },
+        getAutoRunSpecification: suspend () -> RunSpecification = {
+            RunSpecification(
+                tests = emptyList(),
+                taskOrigin = TaskOrigin.AutoRun,
+                isRerun = false,
+            )
+        },
+        runDescriptors: suspend (RunSpecification) -> Unit = {},
+        setRunBackgroundState: ((RunBackgroundState) -> RunBackgroundState) -> Unit = {},
+        getRunBackgroundState: () -> Flow<RunBackgroundState> = { flowOf(RunBackgroundState.Idle()) },
+        addRunCancelListener: (() -> Unit) -> Unit = {},
+        clearRunCancelListeners: () -> Unit = {},
+        getLatestResult: () -> Flow<ResultModel?> = { flowOf(null) },
+    ) = RunBackgroundTask(
+        getPreferenceValueByKey = getPreferenceValueByKey,
+        uploadMissingMeasurements = uploadMissingMeasurements,
+        checkSkipAutoRunNotUploadedLimit = checkSkipAutoRunNotUploadedLimit,
+        getNetworkType = getNetworkType,
+        getAutoRunSpecification = getAutoRunSpecification,
+        runDescriptors = runDescriptors,
+        setRunBackgroundState = setRunBackgroundState,
+        getRunBackgroundState = getRunBackgroundState,
+        addRunCancelListener = addRunCancelListener,
+        clearRunCancelListeners = clearRunCancelListeners,
+        getLatestResult = getLatestResult,
+    )
+}