diff --git a/action.js b/action.js
index b34c63f00..b76d4e611 100644
--- a/action.js
+++ b/action.js
@@ -7,6 +7,7 @@ const {
   moveTaskToProjectSection,
   getProjectSections,
 } = require("./lib/actions/asana");
+const { getMobsuccessYMLFromRepo } = require("./lib/mobsuccessyml");
 
 const customFieldLive = require("./lib/asana/custom-fields/live");
 const customFieldStorybook = require("./lib/asana/custom-fields/storybook");
@@ -118,12 +119,14 @@ exports.findAsanaTaskId = function findAsanaTaskId({
 };
 
 exports.getActionParameters = function getActionParameters() {
+  const repository = github.context.payload.repository;
   const pullRequest = github.context.payload.pull_request;
   const action = core.getInput("action", { required: true });
   const triggerPhrase = core.getInput("trigger-phrase") || "";
   const amplifyUri = core.getInput("amplify-uri") || "";
   const storybookAmplifyUri = core.getInput("storybook-amplify-uri") || "";
   return {
+    repository,
     pullRequest,
     action,
     triggerPhrase,
@@ -311,8 +314,31 @@ async function moveTaskToSprintAndEpicSection({ taskId, sectionId }) {
   }
 }
 
+async function checkIfCanMergeWithoutAsanaTask({ repository, pullRequest }) {
+  const { assignees } = pullRequest;
+  const assigneeLogins = assignees.map(({ login }) => login);
+  if (!assigneeLogins.some((login) => login === "ms-testers")) {
+    return false;
+  }
+
+  // if mobsuccess.yml has the `accept_ms_testers_without_closed_task` flag set to true, we can merge
+  const mobsuccessyml = await getMobsuccessYMLFromRepo({
+    owner: repository.owner.login,
+    repo: repository.name,
+  });
+  const asanaSettings = mobsuccessyml.asana || {};
+  if (asanaSettings.accept_ms_testers_without_closed_task) {
+    console.log(
+      "accept_ms_testers_without_closed_task is set to true, ok to merge"
+    );
+    return true;
+  }
+  return false;
+}
+
 exports.action = async function action() {
   const {
+    repository,
     pullRequest,
     action,
     triggerPhrase,
@@ -391,7 +417,15 @@ exports.action = async function action() {
           });
           console.log("Task is completed?", completed);
           if (!completed) {
-            throw new Error("Asana task is not yet completed, blocking merge");
+            // check if can merge without a completed asana task
+            const canMergeWithoutAsanaTask = await checkIfCanMergeWithoutAsanaTask(
+              { repository, pullRequest }
+            );
+            if (!canMergeWithoutAsanaTask) {
+              throw new Error(
+                "Asana task is not yet completed, blocking merge"
+              );
+            }
           }
         }
       }
diff --git a/action.test.js b/action.test.js
index 2ef659b51..7f8c6b327 100644
--- a/action.test.js
+++ b/action.test.js
@@ -355,14 +355,61 @@ describe("Asana GitHub actions", () => {
       const spyGetAsanaPRStatus = jest.spyOn(action, "getAsanaPRStatus");
       action.getAsanaPRStatus.mockImplementation(() => "test-value");
 
+      let errorHasBeenThrown = false;
       try {
         await action.action();
       } catch (error) {
+        errorHasBeenThrown = true;
         expect(error).toBeInstanceOf(Error);
         expect(error.message).toBe(
           "Asana task is not yet completed, blocking merge"
         );
       }
+      expect(errorHasBeenThrown).toBe(true);
+      expect(spyGetAsanaPRStatus).toHaveBeenCalledTimes(1);
+      expect(spyGetAsanaPRStatus).toHaveBeenLastCalledWith({ pullRequest });
+    });
+
+    test("synchronize should not fail for not completed task with asana: accept_ms_testers_without_closed_task", async () => {
+      jest.resetAllMocks();
+      jest.resetModules();
+      jest.mock("./lib/actions/asana");
+      require("./lib/actions/asana").getTask.mockImplementation(() => ({
+        completed: false,
+        memberships: [],
+      }));
+      jest.mock("./lib/mobsuccessyml");
+      require("./lib/mobsuccessyml").getMobsuccessYMLFromRepo.mockImplementation(
+        () => ({
+          asana: { accept_ms_testers_without_closed_task: true },
+        })
+      );
+
+      const action = require("./action");
+      const pullRequest = {
+        number: 1234,
+        body:
+          "test-trigger-phrase https://app.asana.com/0/1200114135468212/1200114477821446/f",
+        requested_reviewers: [],
+        assignees: [{ login: "ms-testers" }],
+      };
+      jest.spyOn(action, "getActionParameters");
+      action.getActionParameters.mockImplementation(() => ({
+        repository: {
+          owner: {
+            login: "test-owner",
+          },
+          name: "test-repo",
+        },
+        pullRequest,
+        action: "synchronize",
+        triggerPhrase: "test-trigger-phrase",
+      }));
+
+      const spyGetAsanaPRStatus = jest.spyOn(action, "getAsanaPRStatus");
+      action.getAsanaPRStatus.mockImplementation(() => "test-value");
+
+      await action.action();
 
       expect(spyGetAsanaPRStatus).toHaveBeenCalledTimes(1);
       expect(spyGetAsanaPRStatus).toHaveBeenLastCalledWith({ pullRequest });
diff --git a/lib/mobsuccessyml.js b/lib/mobsuccessyml.js
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..ccffe64e4
--- /dev/null
+++ b/lib/mobsuccessyml.js
@@ -0,0 +1,19 @@
+const yaml = require("js-yaml");
+const { octokit } = require("./actions/octokit");
+
+exports.getMobsuccessYMLFromRepo = async function getMobsuccessYMLFromRepo({
+  owner,
+  repo,
+}) {
+  try {
+    const { data } = await octokit.rest.repos.getContent({
+      owner,
+      repo,
+      path: ".mobsuccess.yml",
+    });
+    const content = Buffer.from(data.content, "base64").toString("utf8");
+    return yaml.load(content);
+  } catch (e) {
+    return {};
+  }
+};